Regardless of the fact that Mimi would rather forget the fire and all the horror that went with it, naturally the fire was the main discussion everywhere she turned. Disaster and confusion all about. The beautiful lawn ruined. Girls were buzzing. They had been ordered to stay away from the ruins. It would not be safe to search for things yet. That whole side of the building was roped off. members, grieved and busy, tried to evolve plans which would handle the situation for three more days. This was Saturday; on Monday, school would be out for the year.  
Mimi herself was in a . She had not washed her teeth this morning. That was the most pressing problem.
 
“I believe I’ll chew a sassafras like our great-grandmothers did,” she said to Sue.
 
“Cut me one, too, while you’re in the woods,” Sue laughed.
 
Mimi laughed back but not about the sassafras twig. Sue was a sight on earth! She had on a sweater that hung below her and a skirt that touched her ankle bones and a pair of cast-off tennis shoes.
 
“You look as tacky as I did the day Betsy and I slipped off.”
 
“You don’t look so beautiful yourself,” Sue retorted. “At least I don’t smell!”
 
Mimi had forgotten about the mange cure. It was like eating onions or food seasoned with garlic. You didn’t smell it on yourself. Those near you were the ones who were offended. The clothes? They probably did make her look comical. She hadn’t thought of that; she had been too happy over the fact that they were Dit’s. Last night, or this morning rather, for it was daylight before the fire chief permitted them to re-enter College Hall, the Preps had been housed with the college girls. To Mimi’s great joy, she was assigned to Dit’s room. Any other time she would have been so thrilled she would have entered turning cartwheels but not last night. That was the closest call Mimi had ever had to real tragedy. Dit had been darling to her. She had stood right by her and held one hand while Dr. Ansley bandaged the bleeding one. Then she had tucked her in bed.
 
“Guess I’d better ask permission right now to go for a shampoo.”
 
“What will you wear?”
 
“What’s the matter with this , really now, Sue?”
 
“Nothing. Say! What’s Mrs. Cole announcing?”
 
“We can go to town and stay for lunch!” Betsy reported coming up to them. “All we have to do is go in pairs and sign out and sign in just like the college girls. I was scared to death we’d have to make out lists of what we needed and I knew I’d never think of it all. When I see things I need I remember. Hurry, let’s get ready. By the time we get back maybe they will let us claim our things which were .”
 
“I can’t bear to think I lost my diary, my tennis racket, my boots, the cards off my Christmas packages, and the Hanfstaengel print just when I was beginning to love the and enjoy living with them.”
 
“Don’t speak of losses——” Sue choked up. Mimi knew she was worrying about her violin, a toned old instrument which had been in the family five generations. There was something which could not be replaced. Her own losses seemed trivial in comparison.
 
“I want to go to town, too,” some one called as they signed up and turned to leave. “Write my name, please.”
 
If she had not spoken they would not have known what name to write. At first glance, Chloe looked like the little brother, Worry , in the cartoon, “Born Thirty Years Too Soon.” Yet as she walked toward them, rapidly but not rushed, there was something regal in her step and proud carriage that funny-paper clothes did not hide.
 
Suppose she should turn out to be a princess!
 
The town was ready for the girls when they arrived. The in the five-and-ten-cent stores were as jammed as they are at Christmas shopping season. The drug stores were overrun. Dresses in sizes 12-14-16 were selli............