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Authors: Gilbert Morris
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students watching her carefully; one of them—a girl with flaming red hair—was grinning at her. The redhead nodded toward the small man, made a circle with her finger to indicate he was crazy, then winked broadly. Laurie didn’t know what in the world to make of that, but said quickly, “I’m here to enroll in college.”
“Indeed? Well, do it then!” Without another word, theshort man turned and stalked out the door, slamming it behind him.
The red-haired girl stepped up to say, “That was President Huddleston. Looks like you’ve made quite an impression on him.” She looked at Laurie’s outfit and smiled. “You look good in that thing. All you need is a horse to go with it.”
“He’s outside.”
“You’re kidding—” The girl ran to the door, opened it, and having stared out, turned and said with awe, “You really do have a horse!”
“I’m afraid so.”
The redhead laughed with delight, then came to stand beside Laurie. “I’m Maxine Phelps. Maybe I can help you get started.”
The girl had a kind manner, and Laurie said gratefully, “I—I’d appreciate that. My name’s Laurie Winslow. I hate to be a bother—”
But Maxine only laughed and waved her friends off, saying, “Tell Barton I’ll be late, Betty,” then proceeded to usher Laurie through the trials of registration. She even managed to get Laurie assigned as her roommate.
An hour later the two young women stepped outside of the building, and Maxine said, “Come on, I’ll help you unpack.” She watched with keen interest while Laurie untied Star’s reins, and as they walked toward one of the two large homes Maxine asked, “Why’d you bring your horse to college?”
“I wanted to be sure of at least one friend,” Laurie smiled, then added, “But now I see I’ll have more. Thanks for all your help, Maxine.”
Waving her hand, Maxine said, “Glad to have you. I was afraid I’d get a stick of a roommate. Nice to have a real cowgirl.”
The two reached the two-story house, where Laurie untied the suitcase and Maxine took it from her over Laurie’s protest. Then Laurie pulled the saddlebags free, putting them over her shoulder.
“What’s in there?” Maxine asked curiously.
“Oh, just some books and my pistol.”
Maxine had turned to mount the steps, but on hearing this, she stopped and faced her new roommate. “Your what? ”
“Why, my .38,” Laurie answered. “I’ve carried it since I was fourteen years old.” Noting the strange look on Maxine’s face, she explained, “The Apaches get pretty bold sometimes, so my dad bought it for me and taught me to shoot.”
“I see. And did you ever shoot any?”
“Well—just one.”
Laurie’s simple reply delighted Maxine. Her broad mouth turned upward, and her bright blue eyes sparkled. “Come on, Laurie,” she said. “I’ve got to make a list.”
“What kind of a list, Maxine?”
“Why, a list of people you’re going to shoot!” She ran into the house yelling, “Hey—come and meet my new roommate. But mind how you talk or she’ll put a bullet in your leg!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Laurie Finds a Teacher
Finding a place to board Star had been a simple matter—but it had come about in a way that startled Laurie. She’d gotten permission to keep the gelding in the stable used for the horses belonging to the faculty for the first night, but the next morning, she awakened worrying about a permanent arrangement.
“I’ll have to take care of Star before I start classes,” she’d told Maxine. The pair were eating breakfast, and Laurie’s head was swimming as she tried to remember the names of the students Maxine had introduced to her. Most of them seemed friendly, but some were obviously amused by the “cowgirl” who’d invaded the ivy-covered halls of learning. One of them, a sharp-featured student who was somewhat older than the others, had not bothered to lower her voice as she’d said, “Well, I hope she remembers to scrape the manure off
“Indeed? Well, do it then!” Without another word, theshort man turned and stalked out the door, slamming it behind him.
The red-haired girl stepped up to say, “That was President Huddleston. Looks like you’ve made quite an impression on him.” She looked at Laurie’s outfit and smiled. “You look good in that thing. All you need is a horse to go with it.”
“He’s outside.”
“You’re kidding—” The girl ran to the door, opened it, and having stared out, turned and said with awe, “You really do have a horse!”
“I’m afraid so.”
The redhead laughed with delight, then came to stand beside Laurie. “I’m Maxine Phelps. Maybe I can help you get started.”
The girl had a kind manner, and Laurie said gratefully, “I—I’d appreciate that. My name’s Laurie Winslow. I hate to be a bother—”
But Maxine only laughed and waved her friends off, saying, “Tell Barton I’ll be late, Betty,” then proceeded to usher Laurie through the trials of registration. She even managed to get Laurie assigned as her roommate.
An hour later the two young women stepped outside of the building, and Maxine said, “Come on, I’ll help you unpack.” She watched with keen interest while Laurie untied Star’s reins, and as they walked toward one of the two large homes Maxine asked, “Why’d you bring your horse to college?”
“I wanted to be sure of at least one friend,” Laurie smiled, then added, “But now I see I’ll have more. Thanks for all your help, Maxine.”
Waving her hand, Maxine said, “Glad to have you. I was afraid I’d get a stick of a roommate. Nice to have a real cowgirl.”
The two reached the two-story house, where Laurie untied the suitcase and Maxine took it from her over Laurie’s protest. Then Laurie pulled the saddlebags free, putting them over her shoulder.
“What’s in there?” Maxine asked curiously.
“Oh, just some books and my pistol.”
Maxine had turned to mount the steps, but on hearing this, she stopped and faced her new roommate. “Your what? ”
“Why, my .38,” Laurie answered. “I’ve carried it since I was fourteen years old.” Noting the strange look on Maxine’s face, she explained, “The Apaches get pretty bold sometimes, so my dad bought it for me and taught me to shoot.”
“I see. And did you ever shoot any?”
“Well—just one.”
Laurie’s simple reply delighted Maxine. Her broad mouth turned upward, and her bright blue eyes sparkled. “Come on, Laurie,” she said. “I’ve got to make a list.”
“What kind of a list, Maxine?”
“Why, a list of people you’re going to shoot!” She ran into the house yelling, “Hey—come and meet my new roommate. But mind how you talk or she’ll put a bullet in your leg!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Laurie Finds a Teacher
Finding a place to board Star had been a simple matter—but it had come about in a way that startled Laurie. She’d gotten permission to keep the gelding in the stable used for the horses belonging to the faculty for the first night, but the next morning, she awakened worrying about a permanent arrangement.
“I’ll have to take care of Star before I start classes,” she’d told Maxine. The pair were eating breakfast, and Laurie’s head was swimming as she tried to remember the names of the students Maxine had introduced to her. Most of them seemed friendly, but some were obviously amused by the “cowgirl” who’d invaded the ivy-covered halls of learning. One of them, a sharp-featured student who was somewhat older than the others, had not bothered to lower her voice as she’d said, “Well, I hope she remembers to scrape the manure off
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