Cathalina turned to Hilary with a smile, saying aside, “‘I love thee’ is repeated several times, with growing emphasis! Of course she and Philip sang that in unison! But it really is a glorious love-song, and Lilian’s voice is so clear and full on it. No wonder she likes it. Phil gave it to her. I don’t think it has been out very long.”
“Let’s go down to the Shakespearean Hall and try it over,” suggested Isabel. “I have the key.”
“Evelyn will try it, I know,” said Hilary. “She can play anything at sight.”
“So can you, Hilary,” said loyal Lilian, “but it will be fine if Evelyn will do it. Will you, Evelyn?”
“What is it?” asked Evelyn, who had been talking to Olivia. “Oh, that? Yes, I know it. The voice teacher gave that to one of the senior girls just before the holidays. I played the accompaniment for her two or three times.”
For several days the girls hummed or sang the song, and made ready to go skiing on “high hill,” as they called it, the hill back of Greycliff’s buildings, which sloped away from the direction of the river over a broad expanse of unfenced land. It was not steep enough to be dangerous for the girls, the authorities had concluded, and on Saturday afternoon a number of the girls gathered there, some of them to learn, others to enjoy a sport to which they were accustomed. There were, indeed, several hills from which to make a start, and this proved good for the learners. They could practice without getting in the way of the more experienced.
Isabel and Virginia were laughing over their various attempts, and Betty was alternately showing them with great patience and shooting down the hill herself, when a group of young men came round from behind Greycliff, making for the brow of the hill. “Look!” exclaimed one of the girls. “There are a lot of boys with their German professor!”
“They have gotten permission at Greycliff to use the hill,” said another. “Do you suppose we’ll have to go?”
“Of course not,” replied the first. “Miss Randolph knew we were out here. Unless she sends for us, we can stay.”
More life was naturally infused into the scene when the boys began to take part. Greetings were exchanged between those who knew each other, and Captain Holley watched with interest the flying figure of Betty, who happened to have started down hill before they arrived. Hastily adjusting his own skis, he was next on the track and arrived in time to help Betty uphill again. Poor Donald Hilton was having trouble with his skis and watched the handsome young officer, whom he now considered his rival with Betty, with rising wrath. A graceful figure Rudolph Holley made as he started down the long track again. His staff in air, he jumped as only a practised performer could do, while Betty and the other girls watched admiringly.