“What’s the matter with Mimi?” Madge asked Sue. “Everytime any one mentions Christmas she flounces out of the room.”  
“I hadn’t noticed but I can guess. It’s the first Christmas she was ever away from her folks and that must be it. She has the grandest family. I’ll miss them, too. The Hammond’s always have open house all through the holidays and our crowd almost lives over there.”
 
“I’m glad I asked you. I was beginning to think it was I. I am queer but I can’t help it. I couldn’t bear it if Mimi stopped me.”
 
“Don’t be silly. Mimi likes everybody. She doesn’t think you are queer. I don’t either. I’ve heard her say you were a very interesting girl. So there.”
 
“Have you really, Sue? Cross your heart?”
 
“Yeh.”
 
“Thanks. Thanks too much. I like Mimi better than any girl in school. I always have and since she turned down those bids to join the clubs, I’ve adored her. ! That took nerve. But you won’t tell her, will you, Sue?”
 
“No, I cross my heart again.”
 
“Thanks.”
 
Sue forgot Madge’s sensitiveness right away. She had other things to consider in regard to Mimi. Why hadn’t she thought sooner that Mimi had nowhere to go Christmas? Gee! It would be terrible if she had to stay here with everyone else home. Sue would write home for permission to invite Mimi to her house. No. That would take too long. Mimi was already Christmas. Sue knew that every other year Mimi had considered Christmas the wish-come-true time of times. She’d ask her now and then write home. Sometimes she had to do things . Her daddy called it taking the bull by the horns.
 
“A—D—F A—B—F!” Sue thrilled as she walked faster and faster toward the gym. She was trying so hard to memorize Souvenir for the Christmas but she couldn’t practice until she settled Mimi’s Christmas arrangements.
 
“E-e-e-prettee!” She the old camp call from the balcony of the gym.
 
Mimi let the ball fly sidewise as she looked up.
 
“Hey! Aw Sue, you made me miss.”
 
“Sorry. Getting good?”
 
“Am I? Seven out of ten. Not bad?”
 
“Regular dead eye!”
 
“What brings you here in hand? Are you going to play a balcony scene?”
 
“No. I came to invite you to spend Christmas with me.”
 
Green—Cissy, King, Von, Miss Jane and Dick, Dottie, Margie, Jean, Honky—heaven! As near perfect a Christmas as could be without precious, precious Mother Dear and Junior so far, so very far away. The distance had been widening daily ever since Mimi had mailed their presents to Germany. She had wrapped her packages quietly and mailed them without telling, but she had known they were gone, known how lonely Christmas would be and Sue had guessed. Dear roly-poly Sue who was never lonesome herself.
 
Mimi blinked and .
 
“Sue, do you really?”
 
“No Englesh?”
 
“Why, Sue! I’d love to, only, do you think it will be all right with your Mother?”
 
“You don’t think I’d ask you if it wasn’t, do you? Why—” Sue had to be convincing now. “Mother is writing Mrs. Cole—and Dr. Barnes both so that there can be no question about your permission!” Sue stopped . When Mrs. Cole’s and Dr. Barnes’ names were mentioned, all was said that could be said.
 
“Providing the permission comes through, I accept. Yes, a thousand times yes.”
 
“Good! See you at supper.”
 
Mimi watched Sue disappear. Sweet Sue. She put the basket ball back in the , without putting her sweater on, she jogged across the short cut from the back door of the gym to Prep Hall ell.
 
So much to do! She hadn’t been studying as much as she should of late. The lessons and notebooks had been piling up to be worked on during Christmas while her mates were gone. Now that she was going to celebrate too, she would have to make things fly. As soon as she changed clothes, she’d go to the library and get Greene’s Source Book and catch up on her outside reading in history. At study hall tonight she’d make every minute count. She would not look at the clock a single time, or get permission to speak to a soul, or to sharpen her pencil or to fill her pen unless it was an emergency. After study hall she would mend her hose, straighten her trunk, the dresser’s drawers and if there was time before light bell, she’d check up on her allowance and see if she could squeeze out a new pair of gloves. While she was home she could get several things. Daddy had oked a charge account for her and had told her she could order things but so far she hadn’t used it. She was trying to spend as little as possible because Daddy’s expenses must be terrific. She knew he had not planned on spending so much on her until she was college age.
 
Plans were through her head.
 
“I’m going to Bowling Green, I’m going to Bowling Green.” Her mind played an accompaniment to her marching feet. Thinking was so thrilling, before she realized it, those marching feet were by Sue’s practice room instead of keeping the straight trail to the library. She’d only stay a minute. She’d have to a while and calm down or she could never sit still in the library with the source book.
 
Opening the big door to the practice rooms was like opening the door of a menagerie at feeding time. in the hall from which the cell like rooms opened, Mimi’s ears were by , , and thundering notes. Mimi bumped into the proctor who was looking through the glass windows in the doors to check and be sure that the music students were keeping their regular practice times and—that no one was playing jazz. She at Mimi.
 
“Could I speak to Sue a second?”
 
“If you’ll hurry and leave before I do. I am not supposed to leave any one here without special permission.”
 
Mimi ducked in Sue’s cell. The eye of the proctor Mimi’s style but she got in a few hurried expostulations. Who could say much with the feeling that some one was holding a stop watch over them?
 
“Put your sweater on,” motherly little Sue called after her.
 
“Thanks a lot,&rd............