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diff --git a/19015.txt b/19015.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6b8fc2 --- /dev/null +++ b/19015.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7750 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jane Allen: Right Guard, by Edith Bancroft + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Jane Allen: Right Guard + +Author: Edith Bancroft + +Release Date: August 9, 2006 [EBook #19015] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JANE ALLEN: RIGHT GUARD *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Illustration: As Right Guard, Jane proved herself worthy of the +position.] + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +JANE ALLEN: RIGHT GUARD + +By +Edith Bancroft + +Author of Jane Allen of the Sub-Team + +THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY +Akron, Ohio +New York + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Copyright MCMXVIII + +THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY + +Jane Allen, Right Guard +Made in the United States of America + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + I DAY DREAMS 1 + II A COUNCIL OF WAR 11 + III BAD NEWS 17 + IV THE REASON WHY 27 + V THE UNKNOWN MISCHIEF MAKER 34 + VI THE PLOT THICKENS 42 + VII AN UNPLEASANT TABLEMATE 51 + VIII A HAPPY THOUGHT 63 + IX SEEKERS OF DISCORD 72 + X A VAGUE REGRET 82 + XI REJECTED CAVALIERS 91 + XII NORMA'S "FIND" 101 + XIII THE EXPLANATION 111 + XIV OPENLY AND ABOVEBOARD 122 + XV THE RECKONING 132 + XVI PLAYING CAVALIER 140 + XVII THE EAVESDROPPER 151 +XVIII DIVIDING THE HONORS 157 + XIX RANK INJUSTICE 167 + XX THE RISE OF THE FRESHMAN TEAM 182 + XXI REINSTATEMENT 197 + XXII MAKING OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY 210 +XXIII A NEW FRIEND 224 + XXIV THE LISTENER 241 + XXV THE ACCUSATION 258 + XXVI THE STAR WITNESS 273 +XXVII CONCLUSION 299 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +JANE ALLEN: RIGHT GUARD + +CHAPTER I + +DAY DREAMS + + +"Come out of your day dream, Janie, and guess what I have for you." + +Hands behind him, Henry Allen stood looking amusedly down at his +daughter. + +Stretched full length in a gaily striped hammock swung between two great +trees, her gray eyes dreamily turned toward the distant mountain peaks, +Jane Allen had not heard her father's noiseless approach over the +closely clipped green lawn. + +At sound of his voice, she bobbed up from the hammock with an alacrity +that left it swaying wildly. + +"Of course I was dreaming, Dad," she declared gaily, making an +ineffectual grab at the hands he held behind him. + +"No fair using force," he warned, dexterously eluding her. "This is a +guessing contest. Now which hand will you choose?" + +"Both hands, you mean thing!" laughed Jane. "I know what you have in one +of them. It's a letter. Maybe two. Now stand and deliver." + +"Here you are." + +Obligingly obeying the imperative command, Mr. Allen handed Jane two +letters. + +"Oh, joy! Here _you_ are!" + +Jane enveloped her father in a bear-like hug, planting a resounding kiss +on his sun-burnt cheek. + +"Having played postman, I suppose my next duty is to take myself off and +leave my girl to her letters," was his affectionately smiling comment. + +"Not a bit of it, Dad. I'm dying to read these letters. They're from +Judith Stearns and Adrienne Dupree. But even they must wait a little. I +want to talk to _you_, my ownest Dad. Come and sit beside me on that +bench." + +Slipping her arm within her father's, Jane gently towed him to a quaint +rustic seat under a magnificent, wide-spreading oak. + +"Be seated," she playfully ordered. + +Next instant she was beside him on the bench, her russet head against +his broad shoulder. + +"Well, girl of mine, what is it? You're not going to tell me, I hope, +that you don't want to go back to college." + +Henry Allen humorously referred to another sunlit morning over a year +ago when Jane had corralled him for a private talk that had been in the +nature of a burst of passionate protest against going to college. + +"It's just a year ago yesterday, Dad," Jane returned soberly. "What a +horrid person I was to make a fuss and spoil my birthday. But I was only +sixteen, then. I'm seventeen years and one day old now. I'm ever so much +wiser. It's funny but that is really what I wanted to talk to you about. +Going back to Wellington, I mean. I want to go this time. Truly, I do." + +"I know it, Janie. I was only teasing you." + +Henry Allen smiled down very tenderly at his pretty daughter. + +"Of course you were," nodded Jane. "I knew, though, that you were +thinking about last year, when I behaved like a savage. I was thinking +of it, too, as I lay in the hammock looking off toward the mountains. +Dear old Capitan never seemed so wonderful as it does to-day. Yet +somehow, it doesn't hurt me to think of leaving it for a while. + +"Last year I felt as though I was being torn up by the roots. This year +I feel all comfy and contented and only a little bit sad. The sad part +is leaving you and Aunt Mary. Still I'm glad to go back to Wellington. +It's as though I had two homes. I wanted to tell you about it, Dad. To +let you know that this year I'm going to try harder than ever to be a +good pioneer." + +Raising her head, Jane suddenly sat very straight on the bench, her gray +eyes alive with resolution. + +"You don't need to tell me that, Janie." Her father took one of Jane's +slender white hands between his own strong brown ones. "You showed +yourself a real pioneer freshman. They say the freshman year's always +the hardest. I know mine was at Atherton. I was a poor boy, you know, +and had to fight my way. Things were rather different then, though. +There is more comradeship and less snobbishness in college than there +used to be. That is, in colleges for boys. You're better posted than +your old Dad about what they do and are in girls' colleges," he finished +humorously. + +"Oh, there are a few snobs at Wellington." + +An unbidden frown rose to Jane's smooth forehead. Reference to snobbery +brought up a vision of Marian Seaton's arrogant, self-satisfied +features. + +"Most of the girls are splendid, though," she added, brightening. "You +know how much I care for Judy, my roommate, and, oh, lots of others at +Wellington. There's Dorothy Martin, in particular. She stands for all +that is finest and best. You remember I've told you that she looks like +Dearest." + +Jane's voice dropped on the last word. Silence fell upon the two as each +thought of the beloved dead. + +"Dad, you don't know how much it helped me last year in college to have +Dearest's picture with me," Jane finally said. "It was almost as if she +were right there with me, her own self, and understood everything. I've +never told you before, but there were a good many times when things went +all wrong for me. There were some days when it seemed to me that I +didn't want to try to be a pioneer. I wanted to pull up stakes and run +away. I sha'n't feel that way this year. It will be so different. I'll +walk into Madison Hall and be at home there from the start. I'll have +friends there to welcome----" + +Jane's confidences were suddenly interrupted by the appearance of Pedro, +the groom, leading Donabar, Mr. Allen's horse, along the drive. + +"I've got to leave you, girl." Mr. Allen rose. "I've an appointment with +Gleason, to look at some cattle he wants to sell me. I'll see you at +dinner to-night. Probably not before then." + +With a hasty kiss, dropped on the top of Jane's curly head, her father +strode across the lawn to his horse. Swinging into the saddle, he was +off down the drive, turning only to wave farewell to the white-clad girl +on the beach. Left alone, Jane turned her attention to her letters. + +Those who have read "JANE ALLEN OF THE SUB-TEAM" will remember how +bitterly Jane Allen resented leaving her beautiful Western home to go +East to Wellington College. Brought up on a ranch, Jane had known few +girls of her own age. To be thus sent away from all she loved best and +forced to endure the restrictions of a girls' college was a cross which +proud Jane carried during the early part of her freshman year at +Wellington. + +Gradually growing to like the girls she had formerly despised, Jane +found friends, tried and true. Being a person of strong character she +also made enemies, among them arrogant, snobbish Marian Seaton, a +freshman of narrow soul and small honor. + +Due to her interest in basket-ball, Jane soon found herself fighting +hard to win a position on the freshman team. She also found herself +engaged in a desperate struggle to rule her own rebellious spirit. How +she won the right to play in the deciding game of the year, because of +her high resolve to be true to herself, has already been recorded in her +doings as a freshman at Wellington College. + +"You first, Judy," murmured Jane, as she tore open the envelope +containing Judith's letter and eagerly drew it forth. + +She smiled as she unfolded the one closely written sheet of thin, gray +paper. Judith never wrote at length. The smile deepened as she read: + + "DEAR OLD JANE: + + "It's about time I answered your last letter. I hope to goodness + this reaches you before you start East. Then you'll know I love you + even if I am not a lightning correspondent. I just came home from + the beach yesterday. I had a wonderful summer, but I'm tanned a + beautiful brown. I am preparing you beforehand so that you will + not mistake me for a noble red man, red woman, I mean, when you + see me. + + "I'm dying to see my faithful roommate and talk my head off. I + shall bring a whole bunch of eats along with me to Wellington and + we'll have a grand celebration. Any small contributions which you + may feel it your duty to drag along will be thankfully received. + I'm going to start for college a week from next Tuesday. I suppose + I'll be there ahead of you, so I'll have everything fixed up comfy + when you poke your distinguished head in the door of our room. + + "I've loads of things to tell you, but I can't write them. You know + how I love (not) to write letters, themes, etc. You'll just have to + wait until we get together. If this letter shouldn't reach you + before you leave El Capitan, you will probably get it some day + after it has traveled around the country for a while. Won't that be + nice? + + "With much love, hoping to see you soony soon, + + "Your affectionate roommate, + + "JUDY." + +Jane laughed outright as she re-read the letter. It was so exactly like +good-humored Judy Stearns. She did not doubt that she was destined +presently to hear at least one funny tale from Judith's lips concerning +the latter's pet failing, absent-mindedness. + +Picking up Adrienne's letter from the bench, Jane found equal amusement +in the little French girl's quaint phraseology. + + "WICKED ONE:" it began. "Why have you not answered the fond letter + of your small Imp? But perhaps you have answered, and I have not + received. _Ma mere_ and I have had the great annoyance since we + came to this most stupid studio, because much of our mail has gone + astray. + + "We have finished the posing for the picture 'The Spirit of the + Dawn.' It was most beautiful. _Ma mere_ was, of course, the Dawn + Spirit, allowed for one day to become the mortal. She had many + dances to perform, and was superb in all. I, too, had the dance to + do in several scenes. When we meet in college I will tell you all. + + "We shall not pose again in these motion pictures for the directors + are, of a truth, most queer. They talk much, but have the small + idea of art. It became necessary to quarrel with them frequently, + otherwise the picture would have contained many ridiculous things. + It is now past, and, of a certainty, I am glad. I am longing to + make the return to Wellington. It will be the grand happiness to + see again all my dear friends, you in particular, beloved Jeanne. + + "_La petite_ Norma will soon finish the engagement with the stock + company. We have the hope to meet her in New York, so that she and + your small Imp may make the return together to Wellington. Take the + good care of yourself, dear Jeanne. With the regards of _ma mere_ + and my most ardent affection, + + "Ever thy IMP." + +Jane gave the letter an affectionate little pat. It was almost as though +she had heard lively little Adrienne's voice. How good it was, she +reflected happily, to know that this time she would go East, not as a +lonely outlander, but as one whose place awaited her. There would be +smiling faces and welcoming hands to greet her when she climbed the +steps of Madison Hall. Yes, Wellington was truly her Alma Mater and +Madison Hall her second home. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A COUNCIL OF WAR + + +"What does it all mean? That's the one thing I'd like to know." + +Judith Stearns plumped herself down on Ethel Lacey's couch bed with an +energy that bespoke her feelings. + +"It is as yet beyond the understanding," gloomily conceded Adrienne +Dupree. + +"You'd better go downstairs and see Mrs. Weatherbee at once, Judy," +advised Ethel. + +It was a most amazed and indignant trio which had gathered for a council +of war in the room belonging to Ethel and Adrienne. + +"I'm going to," nodded Judith with some asperity. "I have Jane's +telegram here with me. I just stopped for a minute to tell you girls. +Why, Jane will be in on that four o'clock train! A nice tale we'll have +to tell her!" + +"Oh, there's surely been a misunderstanding," repeated Ethel Lacey. + +Judith shrugged her shoulders. + +"It looks queer to me," she said. "You know Mrs. Weatherbee never liked +Jane. It would be just like her----" + +Judith paused. A significant stare conveyed untold meaning. + +"She couldn't do anything so unfair and get away with it," reasoned +Ethel. "Jane could take up the matter with Miss Howard and make a big +fuss about it." + +"She could, but would she?" demanded Judith savagely. "You know how +proud Jane is. She'd die before she'd give Mrs. Weatherbee the +satisfaction of seeing she was hurt over it. She----" + +"Oh, what's the use in speculating?" interrupted Ethel. "Go and find +out, Judy. We're probably making much ado about nothing." + +"It is I who will go with you," announced Adrienne decidedly. "I am also +the dear friend of Jane." + +"Let's all go," proposed Judith. "There's strength in numbers. If Mrs. +Weatherbee hasn't been fair to Jane it will bother her a whole lot to +have three of us take it up." + +Adrienne and Ethel concurring in this opinion, the three girls promptly +marched themselves downstairs to the matron's office to inquire into the +matter which had aroused them to take action in Jane Allen's behalf. + +Ten minutes later they retired from an interview with Mrs. Weatherbee, +more amazed than when they had entered the matron's office. They were +also proportionately incensed at the reception with which they had met. + +"I think she's too hateful for words!" sputtered Judith, the moment the +committee of inquiry had again shut themselves in Ethel's room. + +"She might have explained," was Ethel's indignant cry. "I don't believe +that Jane's not coming back to Madison Hall." + +"Jane _is_ coming back to Madison Hall," asserted Judith positively. +"She said so in her last letter to me. That is, she spoke of our room +and all. If she hadn't intended coming back, she'd have said something +about it." + +"Of a truth she intended to return to this Hall," coincided Adrienne. +"This most hateful Mrs. Weatherbee has perhaps decided thus for herself. +Would it not be the humiliating thing for our _pauvre Jeanne_ to return +and be refused the admittance?" + +"That won't happen," decreed Judith grimly. + +"We're going to the train to meet her, you know. We'll have to tell her +the minute she sets foot on the station platform." + +"But suppose we find that it's true?" propounded Ethel. "That she +doesn't intend to live at the Hall this year? Something might have +happened after she wrote you girls to make her change her mind." + +"There's only one thing that I know of and I'd hate to think it was +that," returned Judith soberly. "You know what I mean, that Jane +mightn't care to room with me." + +"That is the nonsense," disagreed Adrienne sturdily. "We, who know Jane, +know that it could never be thus. But wait, only wait. We shall, no +doubt, prove this Mrs. Weatherbee to be the g-r-rand villain." + +Adrienne's roll of r's, coupled with her surmise as to the disagreeable +matron's villainy, provoked instant mirth. + +Downhearted as she was, Judith could not refrain from giggling a little +as her quick imagination visualized in stately, white-haired Mrs. +Weatherbee the approved stage villain. + +"We'll just have to wait and see," declared placid Ethel. "It's after +two now. Let's take a bus into Chesterford and see the sights until +train time. We'll be on pins and needles every minute if we sit around +here." + +"I'm going without a hat. I just can't bear to go back to my room for +one. I guess you know why," shrugged Judith. + +"It is the great shame," sympathized Adrienne. "I am indeed sad that our +Dorothy has not returned. She could perhaps learn from Mrs. Weatherbee +what we cannot." + +"I wish Dorothy _were_ here," sighed Judith. "A lot of the girls haven't +come back yet. I thought I'd be late, but I'm here early after all. Too +bad Norma couldn't come on from New York with you." + +"It was most sad." Adrienne rolled her big black eyes. "She has yet one +more week with the stock company. _La petite_ has done well. She has +received many excellent notices. Next summer she will no doubt be the +leading woman. She has the heaven-sent talent, even as _ma mere_." + +"Alicia Reynolds is back," announced Judith. "I met her coming in with +her luggage about an hour ago. She was awfully cordial to me. That means +she's still of the same mind as when she left Wellington last June. +She's really a very nice girl. I only hope she stays away from Marian +Seaton." + +"Neither Marian nor Maizie Gilbert have come back yet. I wish they'd stay +away," came vengefully from Ethel. "With Alicia and Edith Hammond both +on their good behavior Madison Hall would get along swimmingly without +those two disturbers." + +"They'll probably keep to themselves this year," commented Judith +grimly. "It's pretty well known here how badly they treated Jane last +year and how splendidly she carried herself through it all." + +"Oh, the old girls at the Hall won't bother with them, but some of the +new girls may," Ethel remarked. "We're to have several new ones." + +"There'll be one less new girl if I have anything to say about it," +vowed Judith. "If there's been any unfairness done, little Judy will +take a prompt hike over to see Miss Rutledge." + +"Jane wouldn't like that," demurred Ethel. + +"Can't help it. I'd just have to do it," Judith made obstinate reply. +"As Jane's roommate I think I've a case of my own. If Jane has chosen to +room somewhere else--then, all right. But if she hasn't--if she's been +treated shabbily,--as I believe she has been--then I'll go wherever she +goes, even if I have to live in a house away off the campus." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +BAD NEWS + + +"Oh, girls, it's good to be back!" + +Surrounded by a welcoming trio of white-gowned girls, Jane Allen clung +affectionately to them. + +All along the station platform, bevies of merry-faced, daintily dressed +young women were engaged in the joyful occupation of greeting classmates +who had arrived on the four o'clock train. Here and there, committees of +upper class girls were extending friendly hands to timid freshmen just +set down in the outskirts of the land of college. + +Stepping down from the train Jane had been instantly seized by her +energetic chums and smothered in a triangular embrace. A mist had risen +to her gray eyes at the warmth of the welcome. She was, indeed, no +longer the lonely outlander. It was all so different from last year and +so delightful. + +"It's good to have you back, perfectly dear old Jane!" emphasized +Judith, giving Jane an extra hug to measure her joy at sight of the girl +she adored. + +"What happiness!" gurgled Adrienne. "We had the g-r-r-r-eat anxiety for +fear that you would perhaps not come on this train." + +"Oh, I telegraphed Judy from St. Louis on a venture," laughed Jane. "I +knew she'd be here ahead of me." + +"Then you did receive my letter," Judith said with satisfaction. "I was +afraid you mightn't." + +"I didn't answer it because I was coming East so soon," apologized Jane. +"I took your advice, though, about the eats. There was a stop over at +St. Louis, so I went out and bought a suitcase full of boxed stuff. +Maybe it isn't heavy! We'll have a great spread in our room to-night. +Who's back, Judy? Have you seen Christine Ellis or Barbara Temple yet? +Is Mary Ashton here? I know Dorothy isn't or she'd be here with you." + +As Jane rattled off these lively remarks, her three friends exchanged +significant eye messages. + +"Then--why--you----" stammered Judith, a swift flush rising to her +cheeks. + +"What's the matter, Judy?" + +Jane regarded her roommate in puzzled fashion. She wondered at Judith's +evident confusion. + +"Nothing much. I mean something rather queer." Judith contradicted +herself. "Let's take a taxi, girls, and stop at Rutherford Inn for tea. +We can talk there." + +"But why not go straight to Madison Hall?" queried Jane, in growing +perplexity. "I'm anxious to get rid of some of the smoke and dust I've +collected on my face and hands. We can have tea and talk in our own room +and be all by ourselves." + +"I wish we could, Jane, but we must have a talk with you before you go +to the Hall," returned Judith, her merry features now grown grave. + +"What is it, Judy?" + +All the brightness had faded from Jane's face. Her famous scowl now +darkened her brow. She cast a quick glance from Adrienne to Ethel. Both +girls looked unduly solemn. + +"Girls, you're keeping something from me; something unpleasant, of +course," Jane accused. "I must know what it is. Please tell me. Don't be +afraid of hurting my feelings." + +"We're going to tell you, Jane," Judith said reassuringly. "Only we +didn't want to say a word until--until we found out something. But this +isn't the place to talk. Let's hail the taxi, anyway. Then he can stop +at the Inn or not, just as you please. We'll tell you on the way there." + +"All right." + +Almost mechanically Jane reached down to pick up the suitcase she had +placed on the station platform in the first moment of reunion. All the +pleasure of coming back to Wellington had been replaced by a sense of +deep depression. In spite of the presence of her chums she felt now as +she had formerly felt when just a year before she had stood on that same +platform, hating with all her sore heart its group of laughing, chatting +girls. + +"Do not look so cross, _cherie_." Adrienne had slipped a soft hand into +Jane's arm. "All will yet be well. Come, I, your Imp, will lead you to +the taxicab." + +"And I'll help do the leading," declared Judith gaily, taking hold of +Jane's free arm. "Ethel, you can walk behind and carry Jane's traveling +bag. That will be some little honor." + +Knowing precisely how Jane felt, Judith affected a cheeriness she was +far from feeling. She heartily wished that she had not been obliged to +say a word to rob her roommate of the first joy of meeting. + +While traversing the few yards that lay between the station and the +point behind it where several taxicabs waited, both she and Adrienne +chattered lively commonplaces. Jane, however, had little to say. She was +experiencing the dazed sensation of one who has received an unexpected +slap in the face. + +What had happened? Why had Judy insisted that they must have a talk +before going on to the Hall? Surely some very unpleasant news lay in +wait for her ears. But what? Jane had not the remotest idea. + +"Now, Judy," she began with brusque directness the instant the quartette +were seated in the taxicab, "don't keep me in the dark any longer. You +must know how--what a queer feeling all this has given me." + +Seated in the tonneau of the automobile, between Adrienne and Judith, +Jane turned hurt eyes on the latter. + +"Jane," began Judith impressively, "before you went home last year did +you arrange with Mrs. Weatherbee about your room for this year?" + +"Why, yes." + +A flash of amazement crossed Jane's face. + +"Of course I did," she went on. "Mrs. Weatherbee understood that I was +coming back to Madison Hall." + +"Humph!" ejaculated Judith. "Well, there's just this much about it, +Jane. About nine o'clock this morning a little, black-eyed scrap of a +freshman marched into my room and said Mrs. Weatherbee had assigned her +to the other half of my room. I told her she had made a mistake and come +to the wrong room. She said 'no,' that Mrs. Weatherbee had sent the maid +to the door with her to show her the way." + +"Why, Judy, I don't see how----" began Jane, then suddenly broke off +with, "Go on and tell me the rest." + +"I didn't like this girl for a cent. Her name is Noble, but it doesn't +fit her. She has one of those prying, detestable faces, thin, with a +sharp chin, and she hates to look one straight in the face," continued +Judith disgustedly. "I went over to see Adrienne and Ethel and told +them. Then we all went downstairs to interview Mrs. Weatherbee. She said +you weren't coming back to Madison Hall this year." + +"Not coming back to Madison Hall!" exclaimed Jane, her scowl now in +fierce evidence. "Did _she_ say it in just those words?" + +"She certainly did," responded Judith. "I told her that I was sure that +you were and she simply froze up and gave me one of those Arctic-circle +stares. All she said was, 'I am surprised at you, Miss Stearns. I am not +in the habit of making incorrect statements.' Adrienne started to ask +her when you had given up your room and she cut her off with: 'Young +ladies, the subject is closed.' So that's all we know about it, and I +guess you don't know any more of it than we do." + +"So _that_ was why you didn't want me to go on to the Hall until I +knew," Jane said slowly. "Well, I know now, and I'm going straight +there. Mrs. Weatherbee has never liked me. Still it's a rather +high-handed proceeding on her part, I think." + +"If she did it of her own accord, I don't see how she dared. I'm not +going to stand for it. That's all," burst out Judith hotly. "Miss Howard +won't either. As registrar she'll have something to say, I guess. If she +doesn't, then on to Miss Rutledge. That's going to be my motto. I won't +have that girl in your place, Jane. I _won't_." + +"I won't let her stay there if I can help it," was Jane's decided +answer. "I'd rather the affair would be between Mrs. Weatherbee and me, +though. If she has done this from prejudice, I'll fight for my rights. +It won't be the first time she and I have had words. It seems hard to +believe that a woman of her age and position could be so contemptible." + +"That's what I thought," agreed Judith. "Well, we'll soon know. Here we +are at the edge of the campus. Doesn't old Wellington look fine, though, +Jane?" + +Jane merely nodded. She could not trust herself to speak. The gently +rolling green of the wide campus had suddenly burst upon her view. Back +among the trees, Wellington Hall lifted its massive gray pile, lording +it in splendid grandeur over the buildings of lesser magnitude that +dotted the living green. + +She had longed for a sight of it all. It was as though she had suddenly +come upon a dear friend. For a moment the perplexities of the situation +confronting her faded away as her gray eyes wandered from one familiar +point on the campus to another. + +"It's wonderful, Judy," she said softly, her tones quite steady. "Even +with this horrid tangle staring me in the face I can't help being glad +to see Wellington again. Somehow, I can't help feeling that there's been +a mistake made. I don't want to pass through the gates of Wellington +with my heart full of distrust of anyone." + +"You're a dear, Jane!" was Judith's impulsive tribute. "Adrienne says +Mrs. Weatherbee may turn out to be 'the grand villain.' Let's hope she +won't. Anyway, if things can't be adjusted, wherever you go to live I'll +go, too. I won't stay at the Hall without you." + +"Thank you, Judy." Jane found Judith's hand and squeezed it hard. She +had inwardly determined, however, that her roommate should not make any +such sacrifice. It would be hard to find a room anywhere on the campus +to take the place of the one the two had occupied at Madison Hall during +their freshman year. + +"I'm glad there's no one on the veranda," presently commented Jane. + +Having dismissed the taxicab, the three girls were now ascending the +steps of the Hall. + +"Better wait here for me, girls, I'd rather have it out with Mrs. +Weatherbee alone," she counseled. "I hope I sha'n't lose my temper," she +added ruefully. + +Mentally bracing herself for the interview, Jane crossed the threshold +of the Hall and walked serenely past the living-room to the matron's +office just behind it. She was keeping a tight grip on herself and +intended to keep it, if possible. She knew from past experience how +greatly Mrs. Weatherbee's calm superiority of manner had been wont to +irritate her. + +Jane loathed the idea of having a dispute with the matron the moment she +entered Madison Hall. She had begun the first day of her freshman year +in such fashion. Afterward it had seemed to her that most of the others +had been stormy, as a consequence of a wrong start. + +She reflected as she walked slowly down the hall that this new trouble, +was, at least, not of her making. She had the comforting knowledge that +this time she was not at fault. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE REASON WHY + + +Primed for the momentous interview, Jane was doomed to disappointment. +The matron's office was empty of its usual occupant. + +"Oh, bother!" was her impatient exclamation. "I'll either have to wait +for her or go and find her. I'll go back to the veranda and tell the +girls," she decided. "Then I'll come here again. Mrs. Weatherbee may not +be in the Hall for all I know." + +"Back so soon. What did she say?" + +Judith sprang eagerly from the wicker chair in which she had been +lounging. + +"She is not there," returned Jane with a shadow of a frown. "I'm sorry. +I wanted to see her and get it over with. Where's Ethel?" + +"Oh, she forgot that she had an appointment with Miss Howard. She +rushed off in a hurry." + +"Mrs. Weatherbee has perhaps gone to make the call," suggested Adrienne. +"Why do you not ring the bell and thus summon the maid?" + +"A good idea." + +Standing near the door, Jane's fingers found the electric bell and +pressed it. + +"Where is Mrs. Weatherbee?" she inquired of the maid who presently came +to answer the door. "Isn't Millie here any more?" she added, noting that +a stranger occupied the place of the good-natured girl who had been at +the Hall during Jane's freshman year. + +"No, miss. She's gone and got married. Did you want Mrs. Weatherbee? +She's upstairs. I'll go and find her for you." + +"Thank you. If you will be so kind. Please tell her Miss Allen wishes to +see her." + +Disturbed in mind, though she was, Jane replied with a graciousness she +never forgot to employ in speaking to those in more humble circumstances +than herself. It was a part of the creed her democratic father had +taught her and she tried to live up to it. + +"Wish me luck, girls, I'm going to my fate. Wait for me," she said +lightly and vanished into the house. + +"She's taking it like a brick," Judith admiringly commented. + +"Ah, yes. Jane is what _mon pere_ would call 'the good sport,'" agreed +Adrienne. "She is the strange girl; sometimes fierce like the lion over +the small troubles. When come the great misfortunes she has calm +courage." + +Re-entering Mrs. Weatherbee's office, Jane seated herself resignedly to +wait for the appearance of the matron. When fifteen minutes had passed +and she was still waiting, the stock of "calm courage" attributed to her +by Adrienne, began to dwindle into nettled impatience. + +She now wished that she had not given her name to the maid. It looked as +if Mrs. Weatherbee were purposely keeping her waiting. This thought +stirred afresh in Jane the old antagonism that the matron had always +aroused. + +After half an hour had dragged by Jane heard footsteps descending the +stairs to the accompaniment of the faint rustle of silken skirts. She +sat suddenly very straight in her chair, her mood anything but +lamb-like. + +"Good afternoon, Miss Allen," greeted a cool voice. + +Mrs. Weatherbee rustled into the little office, injured dignity written +on every feature of her austere face. + +"Good afternoon, Mrs. Weatherbee." + +Courtesy to an older woman prompted Jane to rise. Her tone, however, was +one of strained politeness. There was no move made toward handshaking by +either. + +"I was greatly surprised to learn that _you_ wished to see me, Miss +Allen," was the matron's first remark after seating herself in the chair +before her writing desk. + +Mrs. Weatherbee's intonations were decidedly accusing. Jane colored at +the emphasis placed on the "you." + +"Why should you be surprised?" she flashed back, an angry glint in her +gray eyes. Already her good resolutions were poised for flight. + +"I am even more surprised at the boldness of your question. I consider +it as being in extremely bad taste." + +"And I am surprised at the way I have been treated!" Jane cried out +passionately, her last remnant of patience exhausted. "I understand that +you have seen fit to ignore the arrangement I made with you last June +about my room. Miss Stearns has informed me that you have given it to an +entering freshman. It's the most unfair proceeding I've ever known, and +I shall not submit to such injustice." + +This was not in the least what Jane had purposed to say. She had +intended to broach the subject on the diplomatic basis of a mistake +having been made. She realized that she had thrown down the gauntlet +with a vengeance, but she was now too angry to care. + +"_Miss Allen!_" The older woman's expression was one of intense +severity. "Such insolence on your part is not only unbecoming but +entirely uncalled for. You appear to have forgotten that you gave up +your room of your own accord. I reserved it for you until I received +your letter of last week." + +"Of my _own accord_!" gasped Jane, unable to believe she had heard +aright. "My letter of last week! I don't understand." + +"I am at a loss to understand _you_," acidly retorted the matron. "I +know of only one possible explanation for your call upon me this +afternoon. I should prefer not to make it. It would hardly reflect to +your credit." + +"I must ask you to explain," insisted Jane haughtily. "We have evidently +been talking at cross purposes. You say that I gave up my room of my own +accord. You mention a letter I wrote you. I have _not_ given up my +room. I have _never_ written you a letter. You owe me an explanation. No +matter how unpleasant it may be, I am not afraid to listen to it." + +"Very well," was the icy response. "Since you insist I will say plainly +that it appears, even after writing me a most discourteous letter, you +must have decided, for reasons of your own, to ignore this fact and +return to Madison Hall. Not reckoning that your room would naturally be +assigned to another girl so soon, you were bold enough to come here and +attempt to carry your point with a high hand. I am quite sure you now +understand me." + +"I do not," came the vehement denial. "I repeat that I never wrote you a +letter. If you received one signed by me, it was certainly not I who +wrote it. I am not surprised at your unfair opinion of me. You have +never liked me. Naturally you could not understand me. I will ask you to +let me see the letter." + +Mrs. Weatherbee's reply was not made in words. Reaching into a +pigeon-hole of her desk she took from it a folded letter minus its +envelope and handed it to Jane. + +Her head in a whirl, Jane unfolded it and read: + + "MRS. ELLEN WEATHERBEE, + "Madison Hall, + "Wellington Campus. + + "Dear Madam: + + "Although I regret leaving Madison Hall, it would be highly + disagreeable to me to spend my sophomore year in it with you as + matron. Your treatment of me last year was such that I should not + like to court a second repetition of it. Therefore I am writing to + inform you that I shall not return to the Hall. + + "Yours truly, + + "JANE ALLEN." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE UNKNOWN MISCHIEF MAKER + + +"This is too dreadful!" + +Springing to her feet, Jane dashed the offending letter to the floor, +her cheeks scarlet with outraged innocence. + +"That was precisely my opinion when I read it," Mrs. Weatherbee +sarcastically agreed. + +"But I never wrote it," stormed Jane. "That's not my signature. Besides +the letter is typed. I would never have sent you a typed letter. Have +you the envelope? What postmark was stamped upon it?" + +"It was postmarked 'New York.' No, I did not keep the envelope." + +"New York? Why, I came straight from Montana!" cried Jane. "I haven't +been in New York since last Christmas." + +"I could not possibly know that. A letter could be forwarded even from +Montana to New York for mailing," reminded the matron with satirical +significance. + +"Then you still believe that I wrote _this_?" + +Jane's voice was freighted with hurt pride. Something in the girl's +scornful, fearless, gray eyes, looking her through and through, brought +a faint flush to the matron's set face. The possibility that Jane's +protest was honest had reluctantly forced itself upon her. She was not +specially anxious to admit Jane's innocence, though she was now half +convinced of it. + +"I hardly know what to believe," she said curtly. "Your denial of the +authorship of this letter seems sincere. I should naturally prefer to +believe that you did not write it." + +"I give you my word of honor as a Wellington girl that I did _not_," +Jane answered impressively. "I cannot blame you for resenting it. It is +most discourteous. I should be sorry to believe myself capable of such +rudeness." + +"I will accept your statement," Mrs. Weatherbee stiffly conceded. +"However, the fact remains that _someone_ wrote and mailed this letter +to me. There is but one inference to be drawn from it." + +She paused and stared hard at Jane. + +Without replying, Jane again perused the fateful letter. As she +finished a second reading of it, a bitter smile dawned upon her mobile +lips. + +"Yes," she said heavily. "There is just one inference to be drawn from +it--spite work. I had no idea that it would be carried to this length, +though." + +"Then you suspect a particular person as having written it?" sharply +inquired the matron. + +"I do," came the steady response. "I know of but one, perhaps two +persons, who might have done so. I am fairly sure that it lies between +the two." + +"It naturally follows then that the person or persons you suspect are +students at Wellington," commented the matron. "This is a matter that +would scarcely concern outsiders. More, we may go further and narrow the +circle down to Madison Hall." + +Jane received this pointed surmise in absolute silence. + +"There is this much about it, Miss Allen," the older woman continued +after a brief pause, "I will not have under my charge a girl who would +stoop to such a contemptible act against a sister student. I must ask +you to tell me frankly if your suspicions point to anyone under this +roof." + +"I can't answer that question, Mrs. Weatherbee. I mean I don't wish to +answer it. Even if I knew positively who had done this, I'd be silent +about it. It's my way of looking at it and I can't change. I'd rather +drop the whole matter. It's hard, of course, to give up my room here and +go somewhere else. I love Madison Hall and----" + +Jane came to an abrupt stop. She was determined not to break down, yet +she was very near to it. + +"My dear child, you need not leave Madison Hall unless you wish to do +so." Mrs. Weatherbee's frigidity had miraculously vanished. A gleam of +kindly purpose had appeared in her eyes. + +For the first time since her acquaintance with Jane Allen she found +something to admire. For the sake of a principle, this complex, +self-willed girl, of whom she had ever disapproved, was willing to +suffer injury in silence. The fact that Jane had refused to answer her +question lost significance when compared with the motive which had +prompted refusal. + +"You might easily accuse me of unfairness if I allowed matters to remain +as they are," pursued the matron energetically. "As the injured party +you have first right to your old room. Miss Noble, the young woman now +occupying it with Miss Stearns, applied for a room here by letter on the +very next day after I received this letter, supposedly from you. + +"I wrote her that I had a vacancy here and asked for references. These +she forwarded immediately. As it happens I have another unexpected +vacancy here due to the failure of a new girl to pass her entrance +examinations. Miss Noble will no doubt be quite willing to take the +other room. At all events, you shall have your own again." + +"I can't begin to tell you how much I thank you, Mrs. Weatherbee." +Jane's somber face had lightened into radiant gratitude. "But I _can_ +tell you that I'm sorry for my part in any misunderstandings we've had +in the past. I don't feel about college now as I did last year." + +Carried away by her warm appreciation of the matron's unlooked-for stand +in her behalf, Jane found herself telling Mrs. Weatherbee of her +pre-conceived hatred of college and of her gradual awakening to a +genuine love for Wellington. + +Of the personal injuries done her by others she said nothing. Her little +outpouring had to do only with her own struggle for spiritual growth. + +"It was Dorothy Martin who first showed me the way," she explained. "She +made me see myself as a pioneer, and college as a new country. She told +me that it depended entirely on me whether or not my freshman claim +turned out well. It took me a long time to see that. This year I want to +be a better pioneer than I was last. That's why I'd rather not start out +by getting someone else into trouble, no matter how much that person is +at fault." + +During the earnest recital, the matron's stern features had perceptibly +softened. She was reflecting that, after all, one person was never free +to judge another. That human nature was in itself far too complex to be +lightly judged by outward appearances. + +"You know the old saying, 'Out of evil some good is sure to come,'" she +said, when Jane ceased speaking. "This affair of the letter has already +produced one good result. I feel that I am beginning to know the real +Jane Allen. You were right in saying that I never understood you. +Perhaps I did not try. I don't know. You were rather different from any +other girl whom I ever had before under my charge here." + +"I kept up the bars," confessed Jane ruefully. "I didn't wish to see +things from any standpoint except my own. I'm trying to break myself of +that. I can't honestly say that I have, as yet. I shall probably have a +good many fights with myself about it this year. It's not easy to make +one's self over in a day or a month or a year. It takes time. That's why +I like college so much now. It's helping me to find myself. + +"But that's enough about myself." Jane made a little conclusive gesture. +"I hope there won't be any--well--any unpleasantness about my room, Mrs. +Weatherbee. I'd almost rather take that other vacancy than make trouble +for you." + +"There will be no trouble," was the decisive assurance. "If Miss Noble +objects to the change there are other campus houses open to her. I see +no reason why she should. She only arrived this morning. She will not be +kept waiting for the room. The girl who failed in her examinations left +here at noon. I will see about it now." + +Mrs. Weatherbee rose to put her promise into immediate effect. + +"If you don't mind, I'll join Judith and Adrienne on the veranda. I am +anxious to tell them the good news," eagerly declared Jane, now on her +feet. + +Glancing at the disturbing letter which she held she handed it to Mrs. +Weatherbee with: "What shall you do about this letter?" + +"Since the star witness in the case refuses to give testimony, it is +hard to decide what to do," smiled the matron. "I might hand the letter +to Miss Rutledge, yet I prefer not to do so. It is purely a personal +matter. Suppose I were to prosecute an inquiry here at the Hall +regarding it. It would yield nothing but indignant protests of +innocence. If the writer were one of my girls she would perhaps be +loudest in her protests." + +Though Jane did not say so, she was of the private opinion that the +person she suspected would undoubtedly do that very thing. + +"A girl who would write such a letter would be the last to own to +writing it," she said dryly. + +"Very true. Still things sometimes work out unexpectedly. If we have a +mischief maker here, we may eventually discover her. Girls of this type +often overreach themselves and thus establish their guilt. I shall not +forget this affair." The matron's voice grew stern. "If ever I do +discover the writer, she will not be allowed to remain at Madison +Hall." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE PLOT THICKENS + + +"And Mrs. Weatherbee's gone to oust the disturber of our peace! Oh, +joy!" + +To emphasize further her satisfaction Judith gave Jane an ecstatic hug. + +"You can't be any gladder than I am." + +Jane returned the hug with interest. + +"But how did it thus happen so beautifully?" questioned Adrienne +eagerly. + +"It was a mistake----No, it wasn't either. It was----" + +Jane paused. She wondered if she had the right to put her friends in +possession of what she had so lately learned. Mrs. Weatherbee had not +enjoined silence. Adrienne and Judith were absolutely trustworthy. They +had forewarned her of the situation. It was only fair that they should +be taken into her confidence. + +"I've something to tell you girls," she went on slowly. "You must wait +to hear it until we are in our room. I'd rather not go into it out here +on the veranda." + +"All right. We'll be good. I hope the noble Miss Noble will hurry up and +move out," wished Judith. "I can imagine how delighted she'll be." + +"She may care but little," shrugged Adrienne. "Of a truth, she has not +been here so long. But a few hours! It is not much!" + +"I don't believe she'll relish it a bit," prophesied Judith. "She looks +to me like one of those persons who get peeved over nothing. Isn't it +funny, though? Mrs. Weatherbee made a mistake last year about your room, +Jane. Do you remember how haughty you were when you found out you were +to room with little Judy?" + +"Yes. I was a big goose, wasn't I?" Jane smiled reminiscently. "It +wasn't Mrs. Weatherbee's fault this time. That's all I'll say until we +three go upstairs." + +"Wish she'd hurry," grumbled Judith, referring to the usurping freshman. +"This evacuation business isn't going along very speedily. I wonder if +she's unpacked. She hadn't touched her suitcase when I left her. Her +trunk hadn't come yet. Maybe it came while we were out. I hope not. +Then there'll be that much less to move." + +"Had this Miss Noble examinations to take?" asked Jane. + +"No, she told me she was graduated from a prep school last June. +Burleigh, I think she said. I really didn't listen much to her. I was so +upset over having her thrust upon me, I didn't want to talk to her." + +"Poor Judy." + +Jane bestowed a sympathizing pat upon Judith's arm. + +"All the time I was thinking 'poor Jane,'" laughed Judith. "Oh, dear! +Why doesn't Mrs. Weatherbee come back. I'm crazy to hear the weird story +of your wrongs, Janie." + +It was at least fifteen minutes afterward before the matron descended +the stairs, looking far from pleased. + +Watching for her, Jane stepped inside the house and met her at the foot +of the stairs. + +"You may move in as soon as you please, Miss Allen," she informed Jane, +her annoyed expression vanishing in a friendly smile. + +"Thank you. I sha'n't lose any time in doing it." + +Jane returned the smile, thinking in the same moment that it seemed +rather odd but decidedly nice to be on such pleasant terms with the +woman she had once thoroughly disliked. + +"Did you notice how vexed Mrs. Weatherbee looked when she came +downstairs?" was Judith's remark as the door of her room closed behind +them. "I'll bet she had her own troubles with the usurper." + +"First the disturber, then the usurper. You have, indeed, many names for +this one poor girl," giggled Adrienne. + +"Oh, I can think of a lot more," grinned Judith. "But what's the use. +She has departed bag and baggage. To quote your own self, 'It is +sufficient.' Now go ahead, Jane, and spin your yarn." + +"It's no yarn. It's sober truth. You understand. I'm speaking in strict +confidence." + +With this foreword, Jane acquainted the two girls with what had taken +place in the matron's office. + +"Hm!" sniffed Judith as Jane finished. "She's begun rather early in the +year, hasn't she?" + +"I see we're of the same mind, Judy," Jane said quietly. + +"I, too, am of that same mind," broke in Adrienne. "I will say to you +now most plainly that it was Marian Seaton who wrote the letter." + +"Of course she wrote it," emphasized Judith fiercely. "It's the most +outrageous thing I ever heard of. You ought to have told Mrs. +Weatherbee, Jane. Why should you shield a girl who is trying to injure +you?" + +"I could only have said that I _suspected_ her of writing the letter," +Jane pointed out. "I have no proof that she wrote it. Besides, I didn't +care to start my sophomore year that way. When I have anything to say +about Marian Seaton, I'll say it to her. I'm going to steer clear of her +if I can. If I can't, then she and I will have to come to an +understanding one of these days. I'd rather ignore her, unless I find +that I can't." + +"You're a queer girl," was Judith's half-vexed opinion. "I think, if I +were in your place, I'd begin at the beginning and tell Mrs. Weatherbee +every single thing about last year. I'd tell her I was _positive_ Marian +Seaton wrote that letter. She'd be angry enough to tax Marian with it, +even though she made quite a lot of Marian and Maizie Gilbert last year. +If Marian got scared and confessed--good night! She'd have to leave +Madison Hall. We'd all be better off on account of it." + +"No, _ma chere_ Judy, you are in that quite wrong," disagreed Adrienne. +"This Marian would never make the confession. Instead she would make the +great fuss. She would, of a truth, say that Jane had made the plot to +injure her. She is most clever in such matters." + +"I'm not afraid of anything she might say," frowned Jane. "I simply +don't care to bother any more about it. I have my half of this room back +and that's all that really matters. If Marian Seaton thinks----" + +The sudden opening of the door cut Jane's speech in two. Three surprised +pairs of eyes rested on a sharp-chinned, black-eyed girl who had +unceremoniously marched into their midst. Face and bearing both +indicated signs of active hostility. + +"Did I hear you mention Marian Seaton's name?" she sharply inquired of +Jane. + +"You did." + +Jane gazed levelly at the angry newcomer. + +"Which of these two girls is Miss Allen?" + +This question was rudely addressed to Judith, whose good-natured face +showed evident disgust of the interrogator. + +"I am Jane Allen. Why do you ask?" + +Jane spoke with curt directness. + +"I supposed that you were." The girl smiled scornfully. "I only wished +to make sure before telling you my opinion of you. It did not surprise +me to learn that it was _you_ who turned me out of my room. I had +already been warned against you by my cousin, Marian Seaton. No doubt +you've been saying spiteful things about her. I know just how shabbily +you treated her last year. If she had been here to-day, you wouldn't +have been allowed to take my room away from me. She has more influence +at Wellington than you have. She will be here soon and then we'll see +what will happen. That's all except that you are a selfish, hateful +troublemaker." + +With every word she uttered the black-eyed girl's voice had risen. +Overmastered by anger she fairly screamed the final sentence of her +arraignment. Then she turned and bolted from the room, leaving behind +her a dumbfounded trio of young women. + +"Brr!" ejaculated Judith. "What do you think of that? I'm sure I could +have heard that last shriek, if I'd been away over on the campus. Marian +Seaton's cousin! Think what Judy escaped!" + +"You are very funny, Judy," giggled Adrienne. "And that girl! How +little repose; what noise!" + +"Yes, 'what noise,'" Judith echoed the giggle. "Really, girls, am I +awake or do I dream? First a strange and awful girl comes walking in on +me. Then I learn the pleasant news that Jane's deserted me. Along comes +Jane, who doesn't know she's lost her home. Enter Marian Seaton as a +letter writer. Result Jane and Mrs. Weatherbee become bosom friends. +Jane is vindicated and her rights restored. Right in the middle of a +happy reunion in bounces the tempestuous Miss Noble. Quite a little like +a nightmare, isn't it?" + +"It has the likeness to the movie plot," asserted Adrienne mirthfully. +"Very thrilling and much mixed." + +"I never dreamed coming back to Wellington would be like this." + +Jane smiled. Nevertheless the words came with a touch of sadness. + +"Don't let it worry you, Jane," counseled Judith. "I was only fooling +when I said this afternoon had been like a nightmare. You may not have +another like this the whole year. Things always happen in bunches, you +know. I move that we re-beautify our charming selves and go down to the +veranda. We'll be on hand if any of the girls arrive. There's a train +from the east at five-thirty. Dorothy may be on that." + +"I hope she is," sighed Jane. + +Mention of Dorothy Martin made Jane long for a sight of the gentle, +whole-souled girl whom she so greatly loved and admired. + +"Go ahead, Jane, and change your gown. I'll unpack your bag for you," +offered Judith. "Beloved Imp here may help, if she's very good." + +"Thank you, Judy." + +Jane began an absent unfastening of her pongee traveling gown, +preparatory to bathing her throat, face and hands, dusty from the +journey. + +While her two friends laughed and chattered as they unpacked her bag, +she gave herself up to somber reflection. The events of the afternoon +had left her with a feeling of heavy depression. Why, when she desired +so earnestly to do well and be happy, must the ancient enmity of Marian +Seaton be dragged into her very first day at Wellington. Was this a +forerunner of what the rest of her sophomore days were destined to be? + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +AN UNPLEASANT TABLEMATE + + +Despite the unpropitious events of the afternoon, evening saw a merry +little party in full swing in Judith's and Jane's room. + +Barbara Temple and Christine Ellis came over from Argyle Hall. The +five-thirty train had brought not only Dorothy Martin but Mary Ashton as +well. Eight o'clock saw them calling on Judith and Jane, along +with Adrienne and Ethel. Of the old clan, Norma Bennett alone was +absent, a loss which was loudly lamented by all. + +So swiftly did time fly that the party ended in a mad scurry to comply +with the inexorable half-past ten o'clock rule. + +Jane went to bed that night considerably lighter of heart. Reunion with +the girls who were nearest to her had driven the afternoon's +unpleasantness from her thoughts, for the time being at least. The +friendly presence of those she loved had proved a powerful antidote. + +A night's sound sleep served to separate her further from the +disagreeable incidents of the previous day. She had two things, at +least, to be glad of, she reflected, as she dressed next morning. She +was back in her own room. More, she now stood on an entirely different +footing with Mrs. Weatherbee than heretofore. + +This last was brought home to her more strongly than ever when, in going +down to breakfast, she passed the matron on her way to the dining-room +and received a smiling "Good morning, Miss Allen." + +It was at decided variance with the reserved manner in which Mrs. +Weatherbee had formerly been wont to greet her. + +"Well, we are once again at the same table," remarked Adrienne as Jane +slipped into the place at table she had occupied during her freshman +year. "Until last night I ate the meals alone. It was _triste_." + +Adrienne's profound air of melancholy made both Jane and Dorothy laugh. + +"What made you come back to college so early, dear Imp?" questioned +Dorothy, smiling indulgently at the little girl. + +"I had the longing to see the girls," Adrienne replied simply. "This +past summer I have greatly missed all of you." + +"We've all missed one another, I guess," Jane said soberly. "Often out +on the ranch I've wished you could all be with me. Next summer you must +come. I'm going to give a house party." + +"What rapture!" Adrienne clasped her small hands. "I, for one, will +accept the invitation, and now." + +Somewhat to Jane's surprise Dorothy said not a word. She merely stared +at Jane, a curiously wistful expression in her gray eyes. + +"Don't you want to come to my house party, Dorothy?" + +Though the question was playfully asked it held a hint of pained +surprise. + +"Of course I'd like to come. I will--if I can." This last was added with +a little sigh. "Did you bring Firefly East with you, this year, Jane?" +she inquired with abrupt irrelevance. + +"Yes. Pedro started East ahead of me with Firefly. They haven't arrived +yet. Are you going to ride this year, Dorothy?" + +Jane was wondering what had occasioned in Dorothy this new, wistful +mood. It was entirely unlike her usual blithe, care-free self. + +"I'm afraid not." The shadow on Dorothy's fine face had deepened. +"Frankly, I can't afford to keep a riding horse here. I don't mind +telling just you two that it was a question with me as to whether I +ought to come back to college. We were never rich, you know, just in +comfortable circumstances. This summer Father met with financial losses +and we're almost poor. Both Father and Mother were determined that I +should come back to Wellington on account of it being my last year. So +I'm here. I've not brought any new clothes with me, though, and I shall +have to be very economical." + +Dorothy smiled bravely as she made this frank confession. + +"Who cares whether your clothes are new of old, Dorothy?" came +impulsively from Jane. "It's having you here that counts. Nothing else +matters. I'm ever so sorry that your father has met with such +misfortune." + +"Ah, yes! I too, have the sorrow that such bad luck has come to your +father. _We_ are the lucky ones, because you have come back to us," +Adrienne agreed impressively. + +"You're dears, both of you. Shake hands." + +Her eyes eloquent with affection, Dorothy's hand went out to Jane, then +to Adrienne. + +"We try to be like you, _ma chere_," was Adrienne's graceful response. + +"That's very pretty, Imp," acknowledged Dorothy, flushing. "I'll have to +watch my step to merit that compliment. Now that you've heard the sad +story of the poverty-stricken senior, I call for a change of subject. +Did you know that Edith Hammond isn't coming back?" + +"She isn't!" + +Jane looked her surprise at this unexpected bit of news. + +"No. Edith is going to be married," Dorothy informed. "She was +heart-whole and fancy-free when she left here last June. Then she went +with her family to the Catskills for the summer. She met her fate there; +a young civil engineer. They're to be married in November. She wrote me +a long letter right after she became betrothed. Later I received a card +announcing her engagement." + +"I hope she'll be very happy," Jane spoke with evident sincerity. "I'm +so glad we grew to be friendly before college closed last June. It was +awfully awkward and embarrassing for us when we had to sit opposite +each other at this table three times a day without speaking." + +Tardy recollection of the fact that there had also been a time when the +wires of communication were down between herself and Dorothy, caused a +tide of red to mount upward to Jane's forehead. + +The eyes of the two girls meeting, both smiled. Each read the other's +thoughts. Such a catastrophe would not occur again. + +"I wonder how many new girls there will be at the Hall," Dorothy glanced +curiously about the partially filled dining-room. "Let me see. We had +four graduates from Madison. Edith isn't coming back. That makes five +vacancies to be filled. Do you know of any others?" + +The approach of a maid with a heavily laden breakfast tray, left the +question unanswered for the moment. + +"You forget, _la petite_," reminded Adrienne as she liberally sugared +her sliced peaches. "She will no longer live at the top of the house. +She has already made the arrangements to room with Mary Ashton. So there +are but four vacancies. I would greatly adore to be with my Norma, but +Ethel is the good little roommate. I am satisfied." + +Adrienne dismissed the subject with a wave of her hand. + +"Norma can have Edith's place at our table," suggested Dorothy. "That +will be nice. I'll speak to Mrs. Weatherbee about it right after +breakfast." + +"Perhaps we should not wait until then." + +Adrienne half rose from her chair. Noting that the matron's place at +another table was vacant she sat down again. + +"Here she comes now!" + +Jane followed her announcement with a muffled "Oh!" Mrs. Weatherbee was +advancing toward their table and not alone. Behind her walked the +aggressive Miss Noble. + +"Miss Noble, this is Miss Martin." The matron placidly proceeded with +the introductions and rustled off, unconscious that she had precipitated +a difficult situation. Her mind occupied with other matters, she had +failed to note the stiff little bows exchanged by three of the +quartette. + +It had not been lost upon Dorothy, however. Greeting the newcomer in her +usual gracious fashion, she wondered what ailed Jane and Adrienne. + +"Have you examinations to try, Miss Noble?" she asked pleasantly, by way +of shattering the frigid silence that had settled down on three of the +group. + +"No, indeed." The girl tossed her black head. "_I_ am from Burleigh." + +"Oh! A prep school, I suppose?" Dorothy inquired politely. The name was +unfamiliar to her. + +"One of the most exclusive in the Middle West," was the prompt answer, +given with a touch of arrogance. "I must say, Wellington doesn't compare +very favorably with it in _my_ opinion." + +A faint sparkle of resentment lit the wide gray eyes Dorothy turned +squarely on the freshman. + +"That's rather hard on Wellington," she said evenly. "I hope you will +change your mind after you've been with us a while." + +"I hardly expect that I shall, judging from what I've already seen of +it. That is, if Madison Hall furnishes a sample of the rest of the +college." + +Turning petulantly to the maid who had come up to attend to her wants +she ordered sharply: + +"Bring me my breakfast at once. I am in a hurry." + +A dead silence ensued as the maid walked away. Signally vexed at the +stranger's disparaging remarks, Dorothy had no inclination to court a +fresh volley. + +Jane and Adrienne were equally attacked by dumbness. They were devoting +themselves to breakfast as if in a hurry to be through with it. + +"I didn't intend to speak to you ever again," the disgruntled freshman +suddenly addressed herself to Jane. "I suppose you think it's queer in +me to sit down at the same table with you after what I told you +yesterday. I was going to refuse, then I decided I had a perfect right +to sit here if I chose. If you don't like it you can sit somewhere +else." + +"Thank you. I am quite satisfied with this table." Jane's reply quivered +with sarcasm. "I sat here at meals last year. I have no intention of +making a change." + +"It is, of a truth, most sad, that we cannot oblige you," Adrienne cut +into the conversation, her elfish black eyes snapping. "It is not +necessary, however, that we should say more about it. We are here. We +shall continue to be here. It is sufficient." + +She made a sweeping gesture as if to brush the offensive Miss Noble off +the face of the earth. + +The latter simply stared at the angry little girl for a moment, too much +amazed to make ready reply. Adrienne's calm ultimatum rather staggered +her. + +Too courteous to show open amusement of the situation, Dorothy resorted +to flight. With a hasty "Excuse me" she rose and left the table. Jane +and Adrienne instantly followed suit, leaving the quarrelsome freshman +alone in her glory. + +Straight toward the living-room Dorothy headed, her friends at her +heels. Dropping down on the davenport she broke into subdued laughter. + +"You naughty Imp," she gasped. "I know I oughtn't laugh, but you were so +funny. Wasn't she, Jane?" + +"Yes." Jane was now smiling in sympathy with Dorothy's mirth. A moment +earlier she had been scowling fiercely. + +"What's the answer, Jane?" + +Dorothy's laughter had merged into sudden seriousness. + +"Marian Seaton's cousin," returned Jane briefly. "I didn't intend to +mention it," she continued, "but under the circumstances I think you +ought to know the truth." + +Briefly Jane acquainted Dorothy with the situation. + +"The whole affair is contemptible," Dorothy's intonation indicated +strong disapproval of the cowardly attempt to deprive Jane of her room. + +"It looks as though Marian were guilty," she continued speculatively. +"She's the only one at Wellington, I believe, who would do you a bad +turn." + +"You forget Maizie Gilbert," shrugged Jane. + +"Oh, Maizie, left to herself, would never be dangerous. She's too lazy +to be vengeful. She only follows Marian's lead." + +"This Marian well knew that with Mrs. Weatherbee Jane could not agree," +asserted Adrienne. "She had the opinion that when Jane arrived here Mrs. +Weatherbee would listen to nothing she might say. So she had the +mistaken opinion." + +"Mrs. Weatherbee always means to be just," defended Dorothy. "She has +rather prim ideas about things, but she's a stickler for principle. I am +glad she's over her prejudice against you, Jane." + +"So am I," nodded Jane. "About this whole affair, Dorothy, I don't +intend to worry any more. I'm going to be too busy trying to be a good +sophomore pioneer to trouble myself with either Marian Seaton or her +cousin. Nothing that she did last year to try to injure me succeeded. +As long as I plod straight ahead and keep right with myself I've nothing +to fear from her." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A HAPPY THOUGHT + + +During the week that followed Jane became too fully occupied with +settling down in college to trouble herself further about Marian Seaton. +Neither the latter nor Maizie Gilbert had as yet returned to Wellington, +a fact which caused Jane no regret. + +She did not doubt that as soon as Marian put in an appearance she would +hear a garbled tale of woe from her belligerent cousin. Whether Marian +would take up the cudgels in her cousin's defense was another matter. + +Firm in her belief that Marian had written the disquieting letter, Jane +was fairly sure that the former's guilty conscience would warn her +against making a protest to Mrs. Weatherbee that her cousin had been +shabbily treated. + +As it happened she was quite correct in her surmise. When, late one +afternoon at the end of the week, Marian and Maizie Gilbert arrived at +Madison Hall they were treated to a sight that disturbed them +considerably. + +To a casual observer there was nothing strange in the sight of two +white-gowned girls seated in the big porch swing, apparently well +pleased with each other's society. To Marian Seaton, however, it +represented the defeat of a carefully laid scheme. Sight of Jane Allen, +calmly ensconced in the swing and actually laughing at something +Adrienne Dupree was relating with many gestures, filled Marian Seaton +with sullen rage, not unmixed with craven fear. + +"_What_ do you think of that?" she muttered to Maizie as the driver of +the taxicab brought the machine to a slow stop on the drive. "I never +expected to see _her_ here." + +"Maybe Mrs. Weatherbee didn't receive it," returned Maizie in equally +guarded tones. + +"Something's gone wrong," was the cross surmise. "Watch yourself, Maiz, +when you talk, to Mrs. Weatherbee." + +"Oh, she couldn't possibly know," assured Maizie. "This Allen snip has +just managed to have her own way. You know what a hurricane she is when +she gets started." + +"Just the same you'd better be on your guard," warned Marian. + +"Madison Hall, miss." + +The driver was impatiently addressing Marian. Deep in considering the +unwelcome state of affairs revealed by Jane's presence on the veranda, +neither girl had made any move to alight. + +"Oh, keep quiet!" exclaimed Marian rudely. "We'll get out when we are +ready." + +"Charge you more if you keep me waiting," retorted the man. "Time's +money to me." + +This threat resulted in the hasty exit of both girls from the machine. +Provided with plenty of spending money, Marian thriftily endeavored +always to obtain the greatest possible return for the least expenditure. + +As the luggage-laden pair ascended the steps, some hidden force drew +Marian's unwilling gaze to the porch swing. A quick, guilty flush dyed +her cheeks as her pale blue eyes met the steady, inscrutable stare of +Jane's gray ones. + +Immediately she looked away. She could not fathom the meaning of that +calm, penetrating glance. + +In consequence Marian could not know that Jane had been seeking +confirmation of a certain private belief, which the former's guilty +confusion had supplied. + +"Do you think she's found out anything?" Marian asked nervously of +Maizie, the instant they had entered the house. + +"Mercy, no. If she had she'd have glowered at you," reassured Maizie. +"She just looked at you as though you were a stranger. You needn't be +afraid of _her_. She's too stupid to put two and two together." + +"She must know about the letter, though. What I can't see is how she +managed to stick here in spite of it. Every room here was spoken for +last June. Mrs. Weatherbee told me so. I'll bet Elsie's had to go to +another campus house. It's a shame! That letter was meant to do two +things. Get Jane Allen out of the Hall and Elsie in. Don't stop to talk +with old Weatherbee, Maizie," was Marian's injunction. "We'll just say +'How do you do. We're back,' and hustle upstairs. Be sure to notice if +she seems as cordial as ever. If she is, it will be a good sign that +we're safe." + +Meanwhile, out on the veranda, Adrienne was remarking under her breath +to Jane: + +"Did you observe the face of Marian Seaton? Ah, but she is the guilty +one!" + +"I noticed," replied Jane dryly. "I was determined to make her look at +me, and she did. It upset her to see me here. She wasn't expecting it." + +"It is the annoyance that she has returned," sighed Adrienne. "All has +been so delightful without her." + +"I'm going to forget that she's here," avowed Jane sturdily. "Come on, +Imp. Let's go over to the stable and see Firefly. I promised him an +apple and three lumps of sugar yesterday. I must keep my word to him." + +Rising, Jane held out an inviting hand to Adrienne. The little girl +promptly linked her fingers within Jane's and the two started down the +steps, making a pretty picture as they strolled bare-headed across the +campus to the western gate. + +"Hello, children! Whither away?" + +Almost to the wide gateway they encountered Dorothy Martin coming from +an opposite direction. + +"We're going to call on Firefly. Want to come along?" invited Jane. + +"Of course I do. Firefly is a very dear friend of mine." + +"I must stop at that little fruit stand below the campus and buy +Firefly's apple," Jane said as the trio emerged from the campus onto the +public highway. "I have the sugar in my blouse pocket." + +She patted a tiny bulging pocket of her white silk blouse. + +"Marian Seaton and Maizie Gilbert have returned," Adrienne informed +Dorothy, with a droll air of resignation. "But a few moments past and we +saw them arrive. We made no effort to embrace them." + +"Miss Howard isn't pleased over their staying away so long," confided +Dorothy. "She told me yesterday that every student had reported except +those two. She asked me if I knew why they were so late. She hadn't +received a word of excuse from either of them. Too bad, isn't it, that +they should so deliberately set their faces against right?" + +"They walk with the eyes open, yet are blind," mused Adrienne. "I have +known many such persons. Seldom is there the remedy. I cannot imagine +the reform of Marian Seaton. It would be the miracle." + +"You may laugh if you like, but I've wondered whether there mightn't be +some way to find the good in her. Dad says there's some good in even +the worst person, if one can only find it." + +Silent from the moment Adrienne had mentioned Marian's name, Jane broke +into the conversation. + +"After I read that miserable letter, I felt as though I hated Marian +Seaton harder than ever," she went on. "When I saw her to-day I despised +her for being what she was. All of a sudden it came to me that I was +sorry for her instead. It's a kind of queer mix-up of feelings." + +Jane gave a short laugh. + +"You have the right spirit, Jane. I'm proud of you for it. You make me +feel ashamed. While I've been merely saying that it's too bad about +Marian, you've gone to the root of the matter," assured Dorothy +earnestly. + +"Yet what could one do thus to bring about the reform?" + +Adrienne's shrug was eloquent of the dubiety of such an enterprise. + +"Begin as Jane has, by being sorry for her," replied Dorothy +thoughtfully. + +"I am French," returned Adrienne simply. "The Latin never forgets nor +forgives." + +Having now reached the fruit stand where Jane had stopped to purchase a +large red apple for her horse, the subject of Marian Seaton was dropped. + +Arrived at the stable the three girls spent a merry session with +Firefly, who demanded much petting from them. + +"He's the dearest little horse I ever saw, Jane!" glowed Dorothy when +they finally left him finishing the apple which Jane had saved as a +good-bye solace. "If ever I owned a horse like Firefly I'd be the +happiest girl in the whole world." + +"There aren't many like him." + +Jane turned for a last look over her shoulder at her beautiful pet. +Pursing her lips she whistled to him. Instantly he neighed an answer. + +"Is he not cunning?" cried Adrienne. + +Dorothy admiringly agreed that he was. + +Jane smiled in an absent manner. An idea had taken shape in her mind, +the pleasure of which brought a warm flush to her cheeks. + +In consequence she suddenly quickened her pace. + +"What's the matter, Jane? Training for a walking match?" asked Dorothy +humorously. + +"I beg your pardon," apologized Jane, slowing down. "I just happened to +think of a letter I wanted to write and send by the first mail." + +"Run on ahead, then," proposed Dorothy. "We'll excuse you this once." + +"Oh, it's not so urgent as all that. I just let my thoughts run away +with me for a minute." + +Nevertheless there was a preoccupied light in Jane's eyes as the three +returned across the campus to the Hall. + +The instant she gained her room she went hastily to work on a letter, a +pleased smile curving her lips as she wrote. When it was finished she +prepared it for mailing and ran lightly down the stairs and across the +campus to the nearest mail box. She gave a happy little sigh as it +disappeared through the receiving slot. How glad she was that the idea +had come to her. She wondered only why she had never thought of it +before. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SEEKERS OF DISCORD + + +Fifteen minutes after the arrival of Marian and Maizie a disgruntled +trio of girls sat closeted in the room belonging to Marian and Maizie. + +"It's all your fault," stormed Elsie Noble, her sharp black eyes full of +rancor. "If you'd come here as you promised instead of being a week late +you could have used the wonderful influence you _say_ you have with Mrs. +Weatherbee to let me keep that room. It's forty times nicer than the one +I have." + +"I couldn't get here any sooner. Howard Armstead gave a dinner dance +specially in honor of _me_ and we had to stay for it." + +Marian crested her blonde head as she flung forth this triumphant +excuse. + +"Of course you did. You're so boy-struck you can't see straight. I +might have known it was because of one of your silly old beaux. I'm glad +I have more sense." + +"You don't show any signs of it," sneered Marian. + +"Stop quarreling, both of you," drawled Maizie. "Go go ahead, Elsie, and +tell us what happened about the room. That's the thing we want to know. +For goodness' sake keep your voice down though. You don't talk. You +shout." + +"I'd rather shout than drawl my words as if I were too lazy to say +them," retaliated Elsie wrathfully. + +"All right, shout then and let everybody in the Hall know your +business," was Maizie's tranquil response. + +"If you came here to fuss, Elsie, then we can get along very well +without you. If you expect to go around with us, you'll have to behave +like a human being." + +Marian's cool insolence had an instantly subduing effect on her +belligerent relative. She knew that Marian was quite capable of dropping +her, then and there. + +"I don't know what happened about the room," she said sulkily, but in a +decidedly lower key. "I came here at nine o'clock in the morning. Mrs. +Weatherbee sent the maid with me to the room. That Stearns girl said I +must have made a mistake. I knew that she wasn't exactly pleased. She +said hardly a word to me. She went out and stayed out until just before +luncheon. Then she came in for about ten minutes and went downstairs. I +didn't see her again." + +"She was probably running around the campus telling her friends about +it," lazily surmised Maizie. "I'll bet she was all at sea. Wonder if she +went to Weatherbee with a string of complaints." + +"What happened after that?" queried Marian impatiently. + +"What happened?" Elsie pitched the question in a shrill angry key. +"Enough, I should say. I unpacked part of my things, then finished +reading a dandy mystery story I'd begun on the train. About four o'clock +Mrs. Weatherbee sailed in here and made me give up the room." + +"What did she say?" was the concerted question. + +"She said there'd been a misunderstanding about Miss Allen's coming back +to the Hall. That Miss Allen was not to blame and so must have her own +room. I said I wouldn't give it up and she said it was not for me, but +her, to decide that. She said I could have the other room if I wanted +it. If I didn't then she had nothing else to offer me. I said I'd go to +the registrar about it. She just looked superior and said, 'As you +please.' I knew I was beaten. If I went to the registrar, then Mrs. +Weatherbee would have a chance to show her that letter. If I gave in, +very likely she'd let the whole thing drop. As long as she'd offered me +another room here, I thought it was best to take it." + +"I didn't think it would turn out like that," frowned Marian. +"Weatherbee couldn't bear Jane Allen last year. I was sure she'd be only +too glad to get rid of her. That letter was meant to make her furious, +enough so that she wouldn't let this Allen girl into the Hall again. +Something remarkable must have happened." + +"Weatherbee didn't suspect you, anyway," chimed in Maizie. "She was all +smiles when we went into her office." + +"Yes, she was sweet as cream. She could never trace it to me anyway. I +took good care of that." + +"Who wrote it for you?" asked Elsie curiously. + +"That's my affair," rudely returned Marian. "If I told you all my +business you'd know as much as I do. I'm sorry the scheme didn't work, +but, at least, you got into the Hall. I'm certainly glad that girl +failed in her exams. As for Jane Allen--well, I'm not through with her +yet. Who is your roommate?" + +"A Miss Reynolds. She's a soph----" + +"_Alicia Reynolds!_" chorused two interrupting voices. + +"Well of all things!" Marian's pale eyes widened with surprise. "What do +you think of that, Maiz?" + +"You're in luck, Marian," Maizie averred with a slow smile. "You stand a +better chance of getting in with Alicia again. Elsie can help you if she +doesn't go to work and fuss with Alicia the first thing." + +"What are you talking about? Who is this Alicia Reynolds?" inquired +Elsie curiously. + +"Oh, we chummed with her last year. She didn't like this Jane Allen any +better than we did. Then last spring she went riding and fell off her +horse and our dear Miss Allen picked her up and brought her home on her +own horse. Alicia wasn't hurt. She thought she was and that the Allen +girl was a heroine," glibly related Marian. "She listened to a lot of +lies Jane Allen told her about us and now she won't speak to either of +us. It's too bad, because we are really her friends and this Allen +person isn't. Some day we hope to prove it to her." + +"This Jane Allen must be a terrible mischief-maker," was Elsie's +opinion. "I told her what I thought of her the afternoon she came." + +"You did?" exclaimed Marian. + +"Yes, sirree. I went straight to her room and spoke my mind. I was so +furious with her. The very next morning Mrs. Weatherbee put me at the +same table with her. It was my first meal at the Hall. I went to +Rutherford Inn for luncheon and dinner. I was hungry and thought maybe +the meals wouldn't suit me. They're all right, though. When I saw her at +the table I was going to balk about sitting there, then I changed my +mind. I had as much right to be there as she. I told her that, too." + +"Some little scrapper," murmured Maizie. + +There was cunning significance, however, in the slow glance she cast at +Marian. + +"What did she say to you?" + +Marian had returned Maizie's glance with one of equal meaning. + +"Not much of anything. I didn't give her a chance," boasted Elsie. "That +little French girl snapped me up in a hurry. She's awfully pretty, +isn't she?" + +"She's a little cat," retorted Marian. "Look out for her. She's too +clever for you. Her mother's Eloise Dupree, the dancer. She dances too. +They're friends of President Blakesly's. She's awfully popular here and +afraid of nobody. She's devoted to Jane Allen, though, so that settles +her with me." + +"Is Dorothy Martin at your table?" asked Maizie. + +"Yes. I don't like her." + +"She's a prig," shrugged Maizie. + +"Edith Hammond used to sit there. Do you know her?" queried Marian of +Elsie. + +"She's not here any more. She's going to be married. I heard this +Dorothy talking about her yesterday to Miss Dupree." + +"Glad's she's gone. She was another turncoat. Hated Jane Allen and then +started to be nice to her all of a sudden." + +"This Jane Allen seems to have a lot of friends for all you girls say +about her," Elsie asserted almost defiantly. "I detest her, but I notice +she's never alone. The first night she came there was a crowd of girls +in her room. I heard them laughing and singing." + +"They didn't come to _see her_," informed Marian scornfully. "It's +Judith Stearns that draws them. She's very popular at Wellington. Can't +see why, I'm sure. Anyway Jane Allen has pulled the wool over her eyes +until she thinks she has a wonderful roommate." + +"Jane Allen hasn't so many friends," broke in Maizie. "Dorothy Martin, +Judith, Adrienne Dupree, Ethel Lacey, she's Adrienne's roommate, and +Norma Bennett. That's all. Lots of girls in the sophomore class don't +like her." + +"Yes, and who's Norma Bennett," sneered Marian. "She used to be a +kitchen maid; now she's a third-rate actress. She's a pet of Adrienne's +and Jane Allen's. I think we ought to make a fuss about having her here +at the Hall. If we could get most of the girls to sign a petition asking +Mrs. Weatherbee to take it up it would be a good thing." + +"But would she do it?" was Maizie's skeptical query. + +"She might if we worked it cleverly," answered Marian. "Adrienne and her +crowd would probably go to President Blakesly. We'd have to work it in +such a way that Norma wouldn't let her. This Bennett girl is one of the +sensitive sort. False pride, you know. Beggars are usually like that. +Of course, I don't say positively that we can do it. We'll have to wait +and see. Some good chance may come." + +"It would be a splendid way to get even with Jane Allen and Adrienne +Dupree, too," approved Maizie. "They would have spasms if their darling +Norma had to leave Madison Hall and they couldn't help themselves." + +"I think it would be rather hard on this Norma," declared Elsie bluntly. + +She had pricked up her ears at the word "actress." Unbeknown to anyone +save herself she was desperately stage struck. The idea of having a real +actress at the Hall was decidedly alluring. + +"You don't know what you're talking about," angrily rebuked Marian. +"It's hard on the girls of really good families to have to countenance +such a person. I've lived at Madison Hall a year longer than you have. +Just remember that." + +"What we ought to do is to get as many girls as we can on our side," +suggested crafty Maizie. "There are forty-eight girls at the Hall, most +of them sophs. Last year we let them alone, because they weren't of our +class. This year we'll have to make a fuss over them. Lunch them and +take them to ride in our cars and all that. It will be a bore, but it +will pay in the end. Once we get a stand-in with them, we can run things +here to suit ourselves." + +"That's a good idea," lauded Marian. "We'll begin this very day." + +So it was that while Jane Allen and her little coterie of loyal friends +entered upon their college year with high aspirations to do well, under +the same roof with them, three girls sat and plotted to overthrow +Wellington's most sacred tradition: "And this is my command unto you +that ye love one another." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A VAGUE REGRET + + +"WELL, Jane, it's our turn to do the inviting this year," announced +Judith Stearns, as she pranced jubilantly into the room where Jane sat +hard at work on her Horace for next day's recitation. + +"When is it to be?" + +Jane looked up eagerly from her book. + +"A week from to-night. The notice just appeared on the bulletin board. +You know my fond affection for the bulletin board." + +Judith boyishly tossed up her soft blue walking hat and caught it on one +finger, loudly expressing her opinion of her own dexterity. + +"Sit down, oh, vainglorious hat-thrower, and tell me about it," +commanded Jane, laughing. + +"That's all I know. It's to be next Wednesday night. I suppose our +august soph committee has met and decided the great question. It's the +usual getting-acquainted-with-our-freshman-sisters affair. After that +comes class meeting, and after that----" + +Judith plumped down on her couch bed and beamed knowingly at Jane. + +"Guess what comes after that," she finished. + +"Basket-ball." + +Jane gave a long sigh of pure satisfaction. There was a pleasant light +in her eyes as she made the guess. She was anxiously looking forward to +making the sophomore team. + +"Yes, _basket-ball_." + +Judith echoed the sigh. She also hoped to make the team. + +"We'll have to get busy and invite our freshmen to the dance," she said +wagging her brown head. "The freshman class is large this year; about a +third larger than last year's class. That means some of the juniors and +seniors will have to help out. I'm glad of it. It will give Norma a +chance to go too." + +"There are only four freshmen in this house," stated Jane. "One of them +is out of the question for us." + +"I get you," returned Judith slangily. "Undoubtedly you refer to the +ignoble Miss Noble. Noble by name but not by nature," she added with a +chuckle. + +Jane smiled, then frowned. + +"Honestly, Judy, I'd give almost anything if she weren't at our table. I +don't mind her not speaking to any of us. But she always listens to +every word we say and acts as if she was storing it up for future +reference. Even Dorothy feels the strain." + +"It's too bad," sympathized Judith. "There's only one consolation. When +it gets too much on your nerves you can always fall back on Rutherford +Inn." + +"I'm going to fall back on it to-night," decided Jane suddenly. "Let's +have a dinner party." + +"Can't go. I am the proud possessor of one dollar and two cents," Judith +ruefully admitted. + +"This is to be _my_ party," emphasized Jane. "I haven't touched my last +check yet. I've been too busy studying to partify. Now don't be a +quitter, Judy. I want to do this." + +Jane had observed signs of objection on Judith's good-humored face. + +"All right," yielded Judith. "Go ahead. I'll give a blow-out when my +check comes. It'll be here next week." + +"We'll invite Norma, Dorothy, Adrienne, Ethel, Mary, Christine Ellis, +Barbara Temple, and oh, yes--Alicia Reynolds. We mustn't forget Alicia." + +"Yes, she needs a little recreation," grinned Judith. "Chained to the +ignoble Noble! What a fate for a good little soph! Some roommate!" + +"You'd better be careful about the pet name you're so fond of giving +that girl," warned Jane, laughing a little in spite of her admonition. +"You know your failing. You'll say it some time to someone without +thinking. Then little Judy will be sorry." + +"Oh, I only say it to you and Imp," averred Judith cheerfully. "You're +both to be trusted." + +"If we're going to have the party to-night we'll have to hurry up about +it. How are we going to get word to Alicia? I hate to go to her room on +account of Miss Noble. And what about Christine and Barbara?" + +Jane laid down her book and rose from her chair. + +"I'll go over to Argyle Hall and invite them. Tell Ethel to go in and +invite Alicia," suggested Judith. "She's almost as obliging as I am. She +rooms next to Alicia and our noble friend. It will be only a step for +her. She won't mind doing it." + +"I guess I'd better. Tell Christine and Barbara to be at the Inn by +six-thirty." + +Jane turned and left the room. Walking down the long hall she passed +Alicia's door. It was open a trifle. She was tempted to peep in and see +if Alicia might perhaps be within and alone. Second thought prompted her +to go on without investigating. + +Rapping smartly on Ethel's door, her knock was followed by the sound of +approaching footfalls from within. Nor was she aware that through the +slight opening in Alicia's door a pair of sharp black eyes peered out at +her. + +"Why, hello, Jane!" greeted Ethel. "Come in." + +"Can't stop but a minute." + +Jane stepped into the room, careful to close the door behind her. + +"I'm giving a dinner party at Rutherford Inn to-night," she briskly +began. "All of our crowd are going, I hope. I'm just starting out to +invite them. Where's Imp?" + +"Downstairs on the trail of her laundry," laughed Ethel. "It went out +white linen skirts and silk blouses. It came back sheets and pillow +cases. You should have seen her face when she opened the package. She +threw up her hands and said: 'What stupidity! Must I then appear in my +classes draped like the ghost?'" + +Jane joined in Ethel's merry laughter. She had a vision of petite +Adrienne trailing into classes thus spectrally attired. + +"I want you to do something for me, Ethel." Jane had grown suddenly +serious. "Will you go to Alicia and invite her to the party? I'd rather +not go myself. You understand why. But it's really necessary to invite +her. She might feel hurt if she were left out. I wouldn't have that +happen for worlds. Not after what she did for me about basket-ball. She +was dining out the night we had the spread so I couldn't invite her to +that. I told her so afterward for fear she might have been offended." + +"Surely I'll tell her," nodded Ethel. "I don't think she's in now, +though. I met her going down the walk as I came up it. She said she had +to go to the library for a book she needed. I imagine she'll be back +soon." + +"Be sure to tell her," Jane impressed upon Ethel. "Thank you ever so +much. Tell Adrienne, too. Don't dress up. It's a strictly informal +party. Meet me in the living-room at six." + +With this Jane departed to go on to Dorothy's room. Passing the door of +Alicia's room she noted that it was now closed. As Alicia was out she +guessed that Elsie Noble was in. She was now not sorry that she had +refrained from approaching it. Undoubtedly she would have met with an +unpleasant reception. + +Finding her other friends at home, Jane quickly made the rounds and +hurried back to her own room. + +Judith appeared soon afterward with the information that Christine and +Barbara had joyfully accepted and would be on hand at the Inn. + +When at six o'clock the party from the Hall gathered in the living-room, +first glance about showed her that Alicia was missing. + +Going over to where Ethel stood, Jane anxiously asked: "Did you see +Alicia, Ethel?" + +"Yes. She isn't coming. She said to tell you it was impossible for her +to accept. I went to her room a few minutes after you left. I knocked +until I was tired but no one answered. So I went back to my room. After +a while I tried again and while I was standing at her door she came down +the hall with Miss Noble. I asked her to come into my room a minute and +told her." + +"Funny she didn't give you any reason why she couldn't come," pondered +Jane with drawn brows. + +"She looked as though she'd been crying," returned Ethel. "I thought +maybe she'd had bad news or something so I didn't urge her. She wasn't a +bit snippy. She just looked white and a little bit sad." + +"I wonder if I ought to run up and see her." + +Jane stared at Ethel, her eyes fall of active concern. + +"Better wait until to-morrow," advised Ethel. "Whatever's the matter +with her, she may feel like being alone. You know how it is sometimes +with one." + +"Yes, I know." + +Jane knew only too well how it felt to be sought out by even her friends +when occasional black moods descended upon her. + +"We may as well start," she said slowly. "As hostess I mustn't neglect +my guests. I'll surely make it a point to see Alicia in the morning." + +Nevertheless as the bevy of light-hearted diners left Madison Hall and +strolled bare-headed in the sunset toward Rutherford Inn, a vague +uneasiness took hold of Jane. She regretted that she had not gone +upstairs to see Alicia. Nor did it leave her until after she had +reached the Inn, where for the time being the lively chatter of her +companions served to drive it from her mind. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +REJECTED CAVALIERS + + +One glaring result of Jane's dinner party was the ignoring of the +ten-thirty rule that night. + +It was eight o'clock when the congenial diners finished an elaborate +dessert and strolled gaily out of the Inn. The beauty of the night +induced the will to loiter. Some one proposed a walk into Chesterford +and a visit to a moving-picture theatre. + +When they emerged from it it was half-past nine, thus necessitating a +quick hike to the campus. Jane and Judith made port in their room at +exactly twenty-five minutes past ten. + +Visions of unprepared lessons looming up large, they decided that for +once "lights out" should not be the order of things. + +As a consequence of retiring at eleven-thirty, both overslept the next +morning and dashed wildly off to chapel without breakfast. + +Occupied from then on with classes, it was not until she had finished +her last recitation of the morning and was on her way to Madison Hall +that Jane remembered her resolve to see Alicia. + +Determined to lose no more time in putting it into execution, she +quickened her pace. Coming to the stone walk leading up to the steps of +the Hall, Jane uttered a little cluck of satisfaction. She had spied +Alicia seated in a rocker on the veranda, engaged in reading a letter. + +"Oh, Alicia!" she called as she reached the foot of the steps. "You're +the very person I most want to see!" + +Sound of Jane's voice caused Alicia to glance up in startled fashion. +She had been faintly smiling over her letter when first Jane glimpsed +her. Now her pale face underwent a swift, ominous change. She hastily +rose. + +"I didn't wish to see _you_," she said stiffly, and marched into the +house. + +Jane's primary impulse was to follow her and demand an explanation. The +rebuff, however, had stirred again into life the old, rebellious pride +which had formerly caused her so much unhappiness. + +For a moment she stood still, hands clenched, cheeks flaming with +mortification. Then with a bitter smile she walked slowly up the steps +and into the house. After that affront Alicia would wait a long time +before she, Jane Allen, would seek an explanation. + +"Well, it has come," she said sullenly, as she entered her room where +Judith sat at the dressing table, recoiling her long brown hair. + +"What's come? By 'it' do you mean yourself?" + +Judith turned in her chair with a boyish grin. + +"No," Jane answered shortly. "Alicia Reynolds has gone back to her old +chums." + +"You don't mean it!" + +Judith's hands dropped from her hair. In her surprise she let go of half +a dozen hair pins she had been holding in one hand. + +"Now see what you made me do," she laughingly accused. "Get down and +help me pick them up." + +"Oh, bother your old hairpins!" exclaimed Jane savagely. "I'm awfully +upset about this, Judy. I felt last night as if I should have gone to +Alicia and asked her what was the matter. This is some of Marian +Seaton's work." + +"Of course it is," calmly concurred Judith. "I haven't the least idea +of what it's all about, but I agree with you just the same. I'll agree +even harder when I do find out." + +In a few jerky sentences Jane enlightened Judith. + +"So that's the way the land lies," commented Judith. "Well, I'm not +surprised. Take my word for it the ignoble Noble has had a hand in this. +Just the same I don't believe Alicia has gone back to Marion Seaton. +She's merely hurt over some yarn that's been told her. You'd better see +her, Jane, and have it out with her." + +"I won't do it." Jane shook an obstinate head. "Alicia ought to know +better than listen to those girls. She knows how badly Marian Seaton +behaved last year about basket-ball. She knows that Marian is untruthful +and dishonorable. If she chooses to believe in a person of that stamp +then she will have to abide by her choice." + +It was the stubborn, embittered Jane Allen of earlier days at Wellington +who now spoke. + +"Only the other day I said to Dorothy that I didn't hate Marian Seaton +any longer; that I felt only sorry for her. I said, too, that there must +be some good in her if one could only find it. What a simpleton I was!" + +The sarcastic smile that hovered about Jane's red lips, fully indicated +her contempt of her own mistaken sentiments. + +"Adrienne was right," she said after a brief pause. "She said she could +never forget nor forgive an injury. I thought I could, but I can't. I +mean I don't want to." + +Her brows meeting in the old disfiguring scowl, Jane began pacing the +room in what Judith had termed her "caged lion" fashion. + +"Oh, forget it," counseled Judith, casting a worried glance at Jane's +gloomy, storm-ridden face. "Don't let Marian Seaton's hatefulness upset +you, Jane. You behaved like a brick about your room and that letter. +This isn't half as bad as that mix-up was. You said your own self that +you were going to ignore anything she tried to do against you. Now go +ahead and keep your word. You've lots of good friends. You should +worry." + +"I haven't so many," Jane sharply contradicted. "I can count them on my +fingers. I don't make friends as easily as you do, Judy." + +"Just the same a lot of fuss was made over you last spring when you won +the big game for our team," Judith sturdily reminded. + +"That's not friendship. That was only admiration of the moment. The same +girls who cheered me then would probably be just as ready to turn +against me if they happened to feel like it," pointed out Jane +skeptically. "No wonder I used to hate girls. Very few of them know what +loyalty and friendship mean." + +"You're hopeless." Judith made a gesture of resignation. + +With a chuckle she added: "Why not challenge Marian Seaton to a duel and +demolish her? Umbrellas would be splendid weapons. I have one with a +lovely crooked handle. You could practice hooking it around my neck and +when the fateful hour came you could bring the double-dyed villain to +her knees with one swoop. Wouldn't that be nice?" + +"You're a ridiculous girl, Judy Stearns." + +Jane was forced to laugh a little at Judith's nonsense. + +"_You're_ a goose yourself to get all worked up over nothing," grinned +Judith. "I can't say I blame you for throwing up the stupendous labor of +hunting out Marian's good qualities. In my opinion 'There ain't no such +animal.' But you're a very large-sized goose if you allow her to spoil +your sophomore year for you." + +"I don't intend she shall spoil it," Jane grimly assured. "I've stood a +good deal from her without ever even once trying to strike back. I'm +not sure that I've done right in allowing her to torment me as she has +without ever asserting myself. There's a limit to forbearance. I may +feel some day that I've reached it." + +Judith smiled but said nothing. She had too high an opinion of Jane to +believe that her proud-spirited roommate would ever descend to the level +of her enemies. Given an opportunity for revenge, she believed that Jane +would scorn to seize it. + +"Have you invited your freshman yet?" she asked with sudden irrelevancy. + +"No, I haven't had time to see any one of them yet," Jane answered. + +"I asked Miss Lorimer, a cute little girl from Creston Hall, this +morning after chapel, but she said she'd already been invited," informed +Judith. "I must find out if the three eligible freshmen here have +escorts yet. I suppose they have, with so many sophs in the house. The +ignoble Noble's not an eligible." + +The luncheon bell now interrupted the talk. It seemed to Jane as she +took her place at table that spiteful triumph lurked in the sharp glance +Elsie Noble flashed at her. + +The conversation carried on by herself, Adrienne and Dorothy, centered +almost entirely on the coming dance. From Adrienne, Jane learned that +the Hall's three freshmen had already received invitations. + +When the little French girl announced this, Jane again fancied that she +read satisfaction in the sharp features of the quarrelsome freshman. + +Though the latter had not addressed a word to her tablemates since her +advent among them, she never missed a word they said. All three were +well aware of this and it annoyed them not a little. + +When just before dinner that evening Judith and Jane compared notes, it +was to discover the same thing. Neither had been successful in securing +a freshman to escort to the dance. + +"I've asked five girls and every one of them turned me down," Judith +ruefully acknowledged. "I thought I'd start early, but it seems others +started earlier." + +"I've asked two different girls, but both have escorts," frowned Jane. +"I sha'n't ask any more. I thought Miss Harper, the second girl I asked, +refused me rather coolly. I want to do my duty as a soph, but I won't +stand being snubbed." + +"Let's go and see what luck Ethel and Adrienne have had," proposed +Judith. + +Indifferently assenting, Jane accompanied Judith to her friends' room. + +"Ah, do not ask me!" was Adrienne's disgusted outburst, "These freshmen +are, of a truth, too popular. Four this day I have invited, but to no +purpose." + +"I'm going to take Miss Simmons, a Barclay Hall girl, to the dance," +informed Ethel. "I asked her this morning and she accepted." + +"Well, we seem out of luck," sighed Judith. "Do you know whether Mary +and Norma have invited their freshmen?" + +"Mary's going to take Miss Thomas, an Argyle Hall girl. Norma hasn't +asked any one yet," was Ethel's prompt reply. "You girls just happened +to ask the wrong ones, I guess. Try again to-morrow. There are more than +enough freshies to go round this year." + +After a little further talk, Jane and Judith went back to their room. + +"What do you think about it?" Judith asked abruptly the instant they +were behind their own door. + +"I don't know. It's probably as Ethel says, 'a happen-so.' I can't think +of any other reason, unless----" + +Jane stopped and eyed Judith steadily. + +"Unless some one in the freshman class has set the freshmen against us," +quickly supplemented Judith. + +"Yes, that's what I was thinking. It doesn't seem possible in so large a +class. Still one girl can sometimes do a good deal of mischief." + +"You mean Miss Noble?" + +Judith was too much in earnest to use the derisive name she had given +the disagreeable freshman. + +"Yes," affirmed Jane. "If she helped to turn Alicia against me, she is +quite capable of going further. So far as we know, you and Adrienne and +I are the only sophs who've been turned down all around. Norma hasn't +asked any one yet. Anyway, she's a junior." + +"It looks rather queer, so queer that I'm going to make it my business +to ask a few questions to-morrow. If there's really anything spiteful +back of this, believe me, little Judy will find it out." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +NORMA'S "FIND" + + +The end of the next day was productive of no better results so far as +Adrienne, Judith and Jane were concerned. Playing escort to their +freshman sisters seemed not for them. + +That evening a quintette of girls gathered in Ethel's room to discuss +the peculiar situation. The quintette consisted of Ethel, Adrienne, +Jane, Judith and Norma Bennett. + +"There's something not right about it," Judith emphatically declared. +"I've tried all day to get a clue to the mystery, but nothing doing. +Nobody seems to want the pleasure of our company to the dance. What luck +have you had, Norma?" + +"Oh, I invited a little girl named Freda Marsh. She lives away off the +campus," replied Norma. "She and three other girls have rented the +second floor of a house and do their own cooking. They are all poor and +very determined to put themselves through college." + +"When did you discover this find?" Judith showed signs of active +interest. + +"Miss Marsh sits next to me at chapel," replied Norma. "After chapel +this morning I asked her to go to the dance. She seemed awfully pleased. +Then she told me where she lived and about herself and her chums. They +all hail from a little town in the northern part of New York State." + +"Wicked one, why did you not tell me this before?" playfully demanded +Adrienne. + +"I haven't had a chance, Imp, until now," smiled Norma. "This is the +first time I've seen you to-day except at a distance." + +"Ah, yes, it is true!" loudly sighed Adrienne. "This noon I came late +from the laboratory after a most stupid chemistry lesson. Such hands! +They were the sight! I feared I should wash them away before they became +presentable. After the classes this afternoon I must of a necessity go +to the library. So it was dinner time when I returned, and thus passed +the time." + +"You're forgiven." + +Her blue eyes full of affection, Norma laid an arm over Adrienne's +shoulder. She had every reason to adore the impulsive, warm-hearted +little girl. + +"Norma, do you suppose Miss Marsh's friends have received invitations to +the dance?" Jane broke in eagerly. + +"I don't know, Jane. I can find out for you in the morning at chapel." + +"I wish you would. If they haven't, tell Miss Marsh that we would love +to be their escorts and that we'll call on them to-morrow evening. How +about it, girls?" + +Jane turned questioning eyes from Judith to Adrienne. + +"It's a fine idea!" glowed Judith. "I'm sorry I didn't know about them +before. The freshman class is so large this year. I know only a few of +the girls as yet." + +"I am indeed well suited." Adrienne waved an approving hand. "Shall we +not go to make the call soon after dinner to-morrow night?" + +"Yes, as early as we can," acquiesced Judith. "That is, provided these +three girls haven't been asked." + +"It would be nice to go and see them anyway," declared Ethel. "We ought +to get acquainted with them. Where do they live, Norma?" + +"At 605 Bridge Street. It's almost a mile from here. So Miss Marsh +said." + +"To go back to what you said a while ago, Judy, what makes you think +there is any special reason for the girls' refusing you and Adrienne and +Jane as escorts?" questioned Norma concernedly. + +"Jane and I just think so. That's all. We think some one's to blame for +it." + +"To blame. Who then is to blame?" + +A swift flash of suspicion had leaped into Adrienne's big black eyes. + +"Some one not far away, perhaps," replied Judith significantly. "That's +the way it looks to me." + +"But could it be? She is but one among many," reminded Adrienne. + +She understood quite well whom Judith meant. + +"She's the only freshman who would be interested in making trouble," +argued Judith. "She has probably been egged on by others who are _not_ +freshmen." + +"Still it's not fair to lay it to her when we don't know anything +definite," remarked Ethel. + +"I'm only supposing," explained Judith. "I'm not saying positively that +I think she's guilty. I'm only saying that it seems probable." + +"I doubt it." Ethel shook a dubious head. + +"I may be wrong," Judith admitted. "Anyway, it won't matter, if these +three girls accept our invitation. It will show the plotters, if there +really are any, that they haven't bothered us a bit." + +"I'm sorry, girls, but I'll have to go." Norma rose from her chair. "I +haven't looked at my books yet and I must study to-night." + +"You're not the only one," cheerfully commented Judith, getting to her +feet. "Come on, Jane. We have our own troubles in the study line." + +With this the talking-bee broke up, Norma promising faithfully to be +sure to deliver next morning the message intrusted to her. + +Directly after dinner the following evening the five friends set out for +605 Bridge Street. Greatly to the delight of the three most interested +parties, Norma had given out the pleasant news that the trio of girls +they were to call upon were without special invitations to the coming +dance. + +The beauty of the soft autumn night made walking a pleasure. Five +abreast, the callers strolled through the twilight, making the still air +ring with their fresh voices and light, happy laughter. + +The house where the four freshmen lived was an unpretentious dwelling, +built of wood and painted a dull gray. A straggling bit of uneven lawn +in front by no means added to its appearance. Even in the concealing +twilight it had a neglected look. It was in glaring contrast to stately +Madison Hall with its green, close-clipped lawns and wide verandas. + +"What cheerlessness!" exclaimed Adrienne under her breath. + +Grouped about the door, Norma rang the bell. A tired-eyed, middle-aged +woman answered it. Yes, Miss Marsh was in, she declared listlessly. + +A clear, pleasant voice from above stairs affirmed that information. +Next instant a sweet-faced, brown-eyed girl had reached the landing and +was greeting her callers with a pretty cordiality that was infinitely +pleasing. + +"Do come upstairs to our house," she invited. "It's a very unpretentious +place, but home-like, we think." + +Norma introducing her friends to Miss Marsh, the five girls followed +their hostess up the narrow stairway and were ushered into a good-sized +living-room. A rag rug covered a floor, stained dark at the edges. An +old-fashioned library table, a quaint walnut desk with many pigeon +holes, a horse-hair covered settee and a few nondescript, but +comfortable-looking chairs completed the furniture. + +On the table, strewn with books, a reading lamp gave forth a mellow +light. The walls, papered in tan with a deep brown border, were dotted +with passe-partouted prints, both in color and black and white. The +whole effect, though homely, was that of a room which might indeed be +called a living room. + +"Please help yourselves to seats," hospitably urged their winsome +hostess. "Excuse me for a moment while I call the girls. They are just +finishing the washing of the supper dishes and getting things in shape +for breakfast. We get everything ready the night before so as not to be +late in the morning," she explained. Then, with a smiling nod, she left +her guests. + +"It's a comfy old room, isn't it?" was Judith's guarded observation. +"This house-keeping idea of theirs is a clever one." + +"That Miss Marsh is a dear," murmured Ethel. "I've seen her once or +twice before on the campus, I think." + +"I have the feeling that we shall like these girls," commented Adrienne. +"This Miss Marsh has the sweet face and the courteous ways." + +The entrance of their hostess and her chums prevented further exchange +of opinion. + +"These are my pals, Ida Leonard, Marie Benham and Kathie Meddart," +smiled Freda, going on to name each of her callers as she performed the +introduction. "You see I remembered all your names and to whom they +belonged." + +When a number of girls have the will to become acquainted it does not +take them long to do so. Almost immediately a buzz of animated +impersonal conversation began. + +"We came here to deliver our invitations in person," Jane finally said +with a smile. "Miss Leonard, I'd love to be your cavalier for the +freshman frolic." + +"Thank you. I'd love to go to it with you, I'm sure," accepted Ida +Leonard, a tall, thin girl with fair hair and a plain, but interesting +face. + +Jane having set the ball rolling, Adrienne promptly invited Marie +Benham, a slim little girl with an eager, boyish face, framed in curly +brown hair. + +This left Kathie Meddart, an extremely pretty girl of pure blonde type, +to Judith. + +Considerable merriment arose over the extending and acceptance of the +invitations. Poverty had not robbed the four young hostesses of a +cheery, happy-go-lucky air that charmed their more affluent guests. + +For an hour the congenial company talked and laughed as only girls can. +Kathie finally excusing herself, disappeared kitchenward, presently +returning with a huge, brown pitcher of lemonade and a plate piled high +with crisp little cakes, which she assured were of her own making. + +Needless to say, they disappeared with amazing rapidity, the guests +loudly acclaiming their toothsome merits. + +"I'm glad you like them," declared Kathie, pink with pleasant confusion. +"I took a course in cookery at a night school at home last year. I often +used to make this kind of cakes for parties. I had lots of orders and +made enough money to pay my tuition fees at Wellington for this year." + +"How splendid!" approved Jane. Her approval was echoed by the others. + +"I'm hoping, after I get acquainted here in college, to do a little of +that sort of thing," confided Kathie rather shyly. "I could spare an +hour or so a day to do it. Only I don't know how to go about it." + +"Would you--could you--would you care to make some for me, some day?" +hesitated Jane. "They would be simply great if one were giving a +spread." + +"Why, that's ever so kind in you," glowed Kathie. "When I just spoke of +it I wasn't fishing for an order. I mentioned it before I thought." + +"It's a good thing you did. I'll order two dozen for my own special +benefit the minute my check comes," laughed Judith. "I sha'n't give Jane +Allen one. I'll sit in a corner of our room and gobble them all up." + +"I adore those cakes!" Adrienne clasped her small hands. "Would it then +be possible that I might have some to-morrow? Perhaps two dozen? Ah, but +I am not the greedy one. I will share with my friends, even most selfish +Judy." + +This provoked a laugh at Judith's expense. So it was, however, that +Kathie received her first order which she agreed to deliver the next +day. + +As a matter of fact, she had been the only one to demur when Freda had +announced that the Madison Hall girls were coming there that evening. +She had advanced the argument that "those rich Madison Hall girls won't +care to ask us to the dance when they see how poor we are." Now she +wondered how she could ever have so misjudged such a delightful lot of +girls. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE EXPLANATION + + +When at length the quintette of callers regretfully agreed that they +must be getting back to the Hall, Freda said rather nervously: + +"Please don't go just yet. I--we--there is something we think we ought +to tell you." + +"Very well, tell us," invited Judith gaily. + +She had an idea that the something might relate to the all-important +question of gowns. If Freda were worrying over that, Judith proposed to +dismiss the subject lightly. Precisely the same thought had occurred to +Jane, who noted Freda's sudden flush and evident confusion. + +"Something--well--not very pleasant happened this afternoon," Freda +continued. "A--we had a caller--a girl----Why shouldn't I be frank? This +girl was of the freshman class. We saw her at class meeting the other +day, but we have never been introduced to her. She brought a paper with +her and asked us to sign it. It was about three of you girls; Miss +Allen, Miss Dupree and Miss Stearns, and----" + +"About us?" chorused a trio of astonished voices. + +"Yes," nodded Freda, her color heightening. "It began, 'We, the +undersigned,' I can't recall the exact words, but it was an agreement +not to accept an invitation from any one of you to the dance or to +notice you throughout the year, because of the discourteous and hateful +way you had treated a member of the freshman class. There were----" + +"How perfectly disgraceful!" burst indignantly from Judith. "What did I +tell you, girls? I knew there was something wrong. We didn't expect to +find it out in this strange way, though. Well, 'murder will out,' as the +saying goes." + +"You said the paper began, 'We, the undersigned'?" questioned Jane in a +clear, hard voice. "How many names were signed to it?" + +"I can't say positively." Freda looked distressed. "You see, it made me +so disgusted that I handed it back the instant I had read it. The girl +offered it to my chums, too, but they wouldn't look at it. She said +that nearly all the members of the class had signed it. I know better. I +believe not half the class had signed." + +"Would you object to telling us the name of the girl who brought you the +paper to sign?" steadily pursued Jane. + +"I wouldn't object; no. Why should I? A girl like that deserves no +clemency," Freda returned spiritedly. "The trouble is, I don't know her +name. She is small and dark, with sharp black eyes and a pointed chin. +She's very homely, but dresses beautifully. She----" + +"Thank you. We know who she is," interrupted Judith. "Her name is Elsie +Noble, and she lives at Madison Hall." + +"Ah, but she is the hateful one," sputtered Adrienne. "It was most kind +in you, Miss Marsh, and your friends also, to thus refuse to sign this +hideously untruthful paper. We have done this girl no harm. Rather, it +is she who would harm us because we have respected our own rights." + +"I suspected it to be a case of spite work," asserted Freda. "It is not +usual for a class in college to adopt such harsh measures." + +"We were rather surprised at her coming to us with the paper," put in +Kathie. "We've seen her with a crowd of girls who don't appear to know +that we are on the map. She said she understood that you girls were +going to invite us to the dance and felt it her duty to call on us and +object to our accepting your invitations." + +"But how could she possibly know that?" cried out Ethel Lacey. "No one +except the five of us knew it until Norma told you this morning." + +"I hope you don't think----" began Freda. + +A hurt look had crept into her soft, brown eyes. + +"How could we possibly think such a thing?" cut in Jane assuringly. "We +can readily understand that Miss Noble's call must have been a complete +surprise to you. On the contrary, we are very grateful to you and your +friends for not signing the paper." + +"Yes, indeed," nodded Judith. "Frankly, we suspected that something +unpleasant was in the wind. When first we heard about the dance, we each +invited freshmen whom we knew. Every one of them turned us down. We +didn't think anything of that in the beginning. We supposed we had just +happened to invite the wrong ones. Afterward we thought differently." + +"I am sorry we didn't make it our business to get acquainted earlier +with you girls. We really should have, you know," Judith apologized. +"We were so busy getting started in our classes that we hadn't had time +yet to be sociable. Jane and I had both agreed to try to know every girl +in the freshman class this year. I'm glad it has turned out like this. +I'm sure we'll all have a splendid time at the dance, no matter whether +some people like it or not." + +"I'm very sure of it, too," declared Kathie Meddart. "I can't understand +how a girl could be so contemptible as to deliberately set out to injure +others." + +"Oh, well, she hasn't succeeded," reminded Judith, "so why should we +care? We've invited our freshmen in spite of her." + +"What are you going to do about that paper?" Ida Leonard asked a trifle +curiously. "If I were you girls, I think I would make a fuss about it. +We'll stand by you if you do." + +"Indeed we will," echoed Marie Benham. "I wouldn't allow such a document +to travel about college." + +"It's hard to decide what to do," Jane said gravely. "It might be wiser +to ignore the whole thing. I don't know. We'll have to think it over, I +guess. I thank you girls for your offer to stand by us." + +Aside from Freda's opinion that spite had actuated the circulation of +the damaging paper, she and her chums had exhibited an admirable +restraint concerning it. They had evidently accepted Adrienne's sketchy +explanation of it at its face value. + +This courteous disinclination to pry had been especially noted and +approved by Jane. It added to the high opinion she already cherished of +the four freshmen. They had been moved solely by a sense of duty to +inform herself and her companions of the outrageous paper. + +Jane felt strongly that an explanation was due them, yet she hated to +make it. It would be too much like gossiping, she thought. + +"Adrienne told you, a little while ago, that we had done Miss Noble no +harm," she said slowly. "That is really all that I think ought to be +said about this affair. Are you satisfied to leave it so?" + +"Perfectly," replied Freda. "I'd rather it would be that way. I can see +no good in dragging up unpleasant things. We'd rather not hear about +them." + +"The paper itself speaks for those who drew it up," smiled Marie. "It's +easy to place the blame where it belongs." + +Ida and Kathie's warmly expressed opinion coincided with that of their +companion. + +"Shall we not speak of more pleasant things? What of the dance? At what +time shall we come for you?" + +Adrienne had addressed herself to Freda. + +Glad to get away from the distasteful topic they had been discussing, +the girls began to make their arrangements for the freshman frolic. +After a little further talk, the five callers took their leave. + +"Well, what are we going to do about it?" demanded Judith, the moment +they had reached the street. "I agree with that nice Miss Benham. We +can't afford to have a paper like that going the rounds of the college." + +"I will of my own accord go to the Prexy. He is of _mon pere_ the old +friend. He will not allow that such mischief should be done." + +Adrienne threateningly wagged her curly head, as she made this vengeful +announcement. + +"Good for you, Imp!" lauded Judith. + +"I think either Prexy or Miss Rutledge ought to be told," concurred +Ethel. "It would nip the whole business in the bud. There'll be more of +this sort of thing if it isn't stopped right away. + +"Did you hear what I said, Jane?" she questioned over her shoulder to +Jane, who was walking behind her with Norma. Ethel, Adrienne and Judith +had taken the lead. + +"Yes, I heard. Let's wait until we get back to the Hall to talk this +over," Jane grimly proposed. "We'll have time to settle it before the +ten-thirty bell." + +"Come on, then. Forward march!" ordered Judith. "The sooner we get there +the longer we'll have to talk." + +This important point settled, a brisk hike to the Hall became the order. + +"Don't stop to talk to anyone," commanded Judith, as they scampered up +the front steps. "Make a bee-line for our room. I'll hang out a 'Busy' +sign, so that we won't be disturbed." + +Five minutes later the "Busy" sign was in place and the key turned in +the lock. + +"Three of us can sit on my couch. That means you, Imp and Ethel. Now, +Jane and Norma, draw up your chairs. Ahem!" Judith giggled. "What is the +pleasure of this indignation meeting? You know what we think, Jane. +Let's hear from you and Norma." + +"Oh, I haven't any voice in the matter," smiled Norma. "That is, I've no +right to decide anything." + +"Neither have I, but I'm speaking just the same," laughed Ethel. "I say, +'On to Prexy with the horrible tale.'" + +"I think we'd best handle this affair if we can without the faculty's +help," Jane said quietly. "If we went to anyone it ought to be Miss +Rutledge. I'd rather not tell even her. I hate telling tales." + +"I don't," disagreed Judith. "If we let it go without saying a word, +we'll have trouble right along. It ought to be stamped out _now_." + +"I intend that it shall be," Jane tersely assured. + +"How?" + +Judith's query rang with skepticism. + +"By going straight to Miss Noble and ordering her to stop it," was +Jane's determined reply. "I shall ask her to give me that paper." + +"A lot of good that will do." Judith gave a short laugh. "You might as +well tell the wind to stop blowing." + +"It will do this much good," retorted Jane. "We shall give Miss Noble +her choice between giving up that paper or being reported to the +faculty." + +"Who's going to tell her all this?" demanded Judith in a slightly +ruffled tone. + +"I am," returned Jane composedly. + +"And I. I shall be there also," instantly supported Adrienne. + +"Very fine. It looks as though I'd be there myself." + +Judith's annoyed expression vanished in a wide grin. + +"When do we do this valiant stunt?" she inquired facetiously. "When does +the great offensive take place?" + +"We'll have to put it off until to-morrow," Jane answered. "It's too +late to do it to-night. We'll go to her just before dinner, or else +right after. There won't be time enough in the morning or at noon." + +"Suppose she won't let us inside her room?" argued Judith. + +"She isn't rooming alone," was Jane's reminder. "I intend to see Alicia +Reynolds to-morrow and find out just why she wouldn't talk to me the +other day. I promised myself that I'd never ask her. But something I saw +to-day makes me feel that I must. This Miss Noble has been making +trouble between us. I'm convinced of that. It can't go on. The tangle +between Alicia and me must be straightened out by a frank understanding +of what caused it. Once that is done, Alicia will stand by us, I +believe." + +"But you said yourself that she'd gone back to Marian Seaton." + +Judith looked amazement of Jane's sudden change of opinion. + +"So I thought," admitted Jane, "until I saw her pass Marian on the +campus to-day without speaking. It came to me right then that only Miss +Noble was to blame for the snub Alicia gave me. But I was too proud to +run after Alicia and have it out with her. Now I'm going to do it." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +OPENLY AND ABOVEBOARD + + +When Jane awoke the next morning her first thought crystalized into a +determination to interview Alicia Reynolds before the day was over. +Speculating as to her best opportunity, she decided that it should be at +the end of the morning recitations. + +For once she would cut her recitation in Horace, which came the last +hour in the morning. Alicia had no recitation at that hour. She would +probably be in her room and alone. Jane also knew that Elsie Noble was +occupied with a class at that time. + +If looks could have killed, Jane and Adrienne would undoubtedly have +been carried lifeless from the dining room that morning. At breakfast +Elsie Noble's thin face wore an expression of spiteful resentment, which +she made no effort to conceal. She was inwardly furious over her +failure to rally the four Bridge Street freshmen to her standard. In +consequence, she was more bitter against Jane and Adrienne than ever. + +It further increased her rancor to hear Adrienne prattling with +child-like innocence to Dorothy Martin of the coming dance. + +Knowing very well what she was about, the little girl kept up a +tantalizing chatter that was maddening in the extreme to the defeated +plotter. + +Unacquainted with the true state of affairs, Dorothy's genuinely +expressed interest in the Bridge Street girls merely added fuel to the +fire. + +"Ah, but they are indeed delightful!" Adrienne wickedly assured, her +black eyes dancing with mischief. "We shall be proud of our freshmen, +when we escort them to the dance. Shall we not, Jeanne?" + +"Yes, indeed. You must meet them, Dorothy. You'll like them all +immensely. They're a splendid, high-principled lot of girls." + +Signally amused by Adrienne's tactics, Jane could not resist this one +little fling at her discomfited tablemate. She hoped it would serve to +enlighten the latter in regard to at least one thing. + +Her second recitation, spherical trigonometry, over, Jane hurried across +the campus toward the Hall, keeping a sharp lookout for Alicia. It was +just possible she might meet the latter on the campus. + +Reaching the veranda, Jane lingered there. If she could waylay Alicia as +she came in, so much the better. With this idea paramount, she sat down +in a high-backed porch rocker and waited. + +She could not help reflecting a trifle sadly that thus far her sophomore +year had run anything but smoothly. She had looked forward to peace, +whereas she was in the midst of strife. And all because Marian Seaton +did not like her. That dislike dated back to her initial journey across +the continent to Wellington. If she had not antagonized Marian then, she +wondered if she and Marian would have become enemies. She decided that +they must have. They had nothing whatever in common. + +Light, hurrying feet on the walk brought Jane's retrospective musings to +an end. She saw Alicia a second before the latter saw her. Promptly +rising, she headed Alicia off neatly as she gained the steps. + +"I want to speak to you, Alicia," she greeted evenly. "You must listen +to me." + +"I have nothing to say to you. Please let me alone." + +A dull flush mantled Alicia's pale cheeks as she thus spoke. Her tones +indicated injury rather than anger. + +"But I have something to say to you," persisted Jane. "I must know +positively why you have turned against me. It's not fair in you to keep +me in the dark. Do you think it is? What have I done to deserve such +treatment?" + +Stopping on the step below Jane, Alicia stared hard at the quiet, +purposeful face looking down on her. + +"I believed in you, Jane," she said sadly, with a little catch of +breath. "You made me admire you. Then you spoiled it all. It hurt me so. +I--I--don't want to talk about it." + +She took an undecided step to the right, as though to pass Jane and flee +into the house. + +"Don't go, Alicia. Let's get together and straighten things out." Jane +laid a gentle hand on the other girl's arm. "I'm sure we can. You +promised last year to be my friend. Have you forgotten that?" + +"How can I be the friend of a girl who talks about me?" Alicia cried out +bitterly. "A girl who only pretends friendship?" + +"So, that's it. I thought as much. Now tell me what I said about you." + +Something in Jane's steady glance caused Alicia's eyes to waver. + +"You told Ethel Lacey that you wished you didn't have to invite me to go +with you girls to the Inn the other night, but you felt that you could +hardly get out of it. That I expected you to do it. You know that's not +true. I'd never intrude where I wasn't wanted." + +"Did Ethel tell you this?" Jane asked composedly. + +"No. Someone else overheard you say it," retorted Alicia. + +"And that 'someone else'?" + +"I won't tell you. I promised I wouldn't." + +"You don't need to tell me, because I _know_." Jane emphasized the +_know_. "It's not true. I didn't say that. This is what I said." + +As well as she could recall it, she repeated the conversation that had +taken place between herself and Ethel. + +"I asked Ethel to invite you because I didn't want you to go to your +room," she explained. "Miss Noble and I are not on speaking terms. Did +you know that?" + +"Yes, I knew it," Alicia admitted. "I was told it was your fault. I +didn't believe it until----" + +She paused, uncertainty written large on every feature. She had begun to +glimpse the unworthiness of her doubts. + +"Until Miss Noble came to you with this untruthful tale about me," +finished Jane. + +Alicia was silent. She could not truthfully contradict this pertinent +statement. + +"Which of us do you believe, Alicia?" + +Jane put the question with business-like directness. + +Alicia mutely studied Jane's resolute face. Honesty of purpose looked +out from the long-lashed, gray eyes. She mentally contrasted it with +another face; dark, spiteful and furtive. + +"I believe you. Forgive me, Jane." + +Her lips quivering, Alicia stretched forth a penitent hand. + +"There's nothing to forgive." + +Jane was quick to grasp the hand Alicia proffered. + +"I ought to have come straight to you," quavered the penitent. + +"I wish you had. Thank goodness, it's all right now. Let's sit down in +the porch swing, Alicia. There are several things yet to be said and +this is the time to say them." + +Her hand still in Alicia's, Jane gently pulled her toward the swing. +When they had seated themselves, she continued: + +"I don't like to say things behind anyone's back, but in this case it's +necessary. Miss Noble has started her freshman year as a trouble maker. +She is very bitter against me for several reasons. When I came back to +college, I found that Mrs. Weatherbee had given her my room. She +understood that I was not coming to Madison Hall this year. I'm telling +you this because I suspect that it is news to you." + +"It certainly _is_." Alicia showed evident surprise. "I supposed Elsie +Noble had been assigned to room with me from the start. She never said a +word about it to me." + +"She didn't want you to know it. I don't wish to explain why. I'll +simply say that Mrs. Weatherbee decided I had first right to the room. +It made Miss Noble very angry. She came back to the room after she had +left it. Adrienne, Judith and I were there. She made quite a scene. I +hoped it would end there, but it hasn't. Since then she has tried to set +not only you against me, but others also. She has circulated a paper +among the freshmen against Judith, Adrienne and I which some of them +have signed." + +"How perfectly terrible!" was Alicia's shocked exclamation. "She +certainly has kept very quiet about it to me. I never suspected such a +thing." + +"I can't see that it has done us much harm," Jane dryly responded. "It's +come to a point, however, where we feel that we ought to assert +ourselves. We are here for study, not to quarrel, but we won't stand +everything tamely." + +"I don't blame you. I wouldn't, either. I'm sure Marian Seaton is behind +all this," declared Alicia hotly. "Ever since I came back to the Hall +she's been trying to talk to me. Small good it will do her. When I broke +friendship with her last year it was for good and all." + +"When you wouldn't speak to me the other day, I thought you had gone +back to her," confessed Jane. "Just a little before that Dorothy and I +had been saying that we thought we ought to try to make Marian see +things differently. Afterward I was so angry I gave up the thought as +hopeless. It may not be right to say to you, 'Let Marian alone,' when +one looks at it from one angle. The Bible says, 'Love your enemies.' On +the other hand, it seems wiser to steer clear of malicious persons. +Marian _is_ malicious. She's proved that over and over again. No one but +herself can make her different." + +"I _know_ it's best for me to keep away from her," asserted Alicia. "My +influence wouldn't be one, two, three with her. Whenever I tried last +year to be honest with myself she just sneered at me. It's either be +like her or let her alone, in my case. There's no happy medium. So I +choose to let her alone." + +"We all have to decide such things for ourselves," Jane said +reflectively. "It seems too bad that Marian's so determined to be always +on the wrong side. I've decided to let her stay there for the present. +If this affair of the paper involved only myself, I'd probably do +nothing about it. But it's not right to let Judith and Adrienne suffer +for something that's really meant for me." + +"What are you going to do?" inquired Alicia. + +"That's what I've been leading up to. With your permission I intend to +have a reckoning with Miss Noble in your room. I'd like you to be there +when it happens. Judith and Adrienne will be with me. Are you willing +that it should be so?" + +"Yes, indeed," promptly answered Alicia. "When is the grand reckoning to +be?" + +"This afternoon just before dinner. I can say my say in short order. Of +course if she's not in, I'll have to postpone it until later." + +"I can let you know as soon as she comes in from her last class," +volunteered Alicia. + +"No, I'd rather not have it that way." Jane smiled whimsically. "It's +had enough to have to go to work and deliberately plan this hateful +business. It has to be gone through with. That's certain. We'll just +take our chance of finding her in. When you hear us knock, I wish you'd +open the door. It's all horrid, isn't it? I feel like a conspirator." + +Jane made a gesture indicative of utter distaste for the purposed +program. + +"It's honest, anyhow. It's not backbiting and underhandedness," Alicia +stoutly pointed out. + +"No, it isn't," Jane soberly agreed. "That's the only thing that +reconciles me to do it. It's dealing openly and aboveboard with +treachery and spite." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE RECKONING + + +"_Voila!_ We are ready. Let us advance!" proclaimed Adrienne with a +smothered chuckle, when at ten minutes to six a determined trio left +Adrienne's room on the fateful errand to the room next door. + +"Don't you dare giggle when we get in there," warned Judith in a +whisper, as Jane rapped sharply on the door. "We must make an imposing +appearance if we can," she added with a grin. "Who knows? I may giggle +myself." + +True to her word, it was Alicia who admitted them with, "Hello, girls! +Come in." + +As the three entered, a figure lolling in a Morris chair by the window +sprang up with an angry exclamation. + +"I will not have these people in my room, Alicia Reynolds! Do you hear +me? I won't!" + +Elsie Noble had turned on Alicia, her small black eyes snapping. + +"Half this room happens to be mine," tranquilly reminded Alicia. "Have a +seat, girls." + +"No, thank you. We won't stay long enough for that." Jane's tone was +equally composed. "We came to see _you_, Miss Noble." + +"I won't stay," shrieked the enraged girl, and started for the door. + +Alicia reached it ahead of her. Calmly turning the key, she dropped it +into her blouse pocket. + +"Yes; you will stay, Elsie," she said with quiet decision. "You tried to +make trouble between Jane and me. We've found you out. Now, you'll +listen to what Jane has to say to you. If you don't, you may be sorry." + +Her back against the locked door, Elsie Noble glared at her captors for +an instant in speechless fury. Then she found her voice again. + +"I'll report every one of you for this! It's an outrage!" she shrilled. + +The threat lacked strength, however. A coward at heart, she already +stood in fear of the accusing quartette which confronted her. + +"Just a moment, Miss Noble. We have no desire to detain you any longer +than we can help." Jane's intonation was faintly satirical. "We came +here for two purposes. One is to tell you that you must stop making +trouble for us among your classmates. You know what you have done. So do +we. Don't do it again. I will also trouble you for that paper you have +been circulating among the freshmen." + +"I don't know what you're talking about," hotly denied the culprit. Her +eyes, however, shifted uneasily from those of her accusers. + +"Oh, yes you do." Judith now took a hand. "You ought to know. Don't you +remember? You began it, 'We the undersigned,' and ended your little +stunt with the names of as many freshmen as were foolish enough to +listen to you." + +"You seem to think you know a whole lot," sneered Elsie. "I'm very sure +not one of you ever saw such a paper as you describe." + +"We did not see it, but we know four girls who did," Jane informed with +quiet significance. "They were asked to sign it and refused. They are +quite willing to testify to this should we see fit to take the matter to +President Blakesly or Miss Rutledge." + +"You wouldn't dare do such a thing!" the cornered plotter cried out +defiantly. "He--you--he wouldn't listen to such a--a--story as you're +trying to tell. He has something better to do than listen to gossiping +sophomores. Miss Rutledge wouldn't listen, either." + +"I don't think either President Blakesly or Miss Rutledge would refuse +to listen to anything that had to do with one student's attempt to +injure another," was Jane's grave response. "However, that is not the +point. You must make up your mind either to give me that paper and your +promise to stop your mischief-making, or else defend yourself as best +you can to the faculty. Naturally, we would prefer to settle the matter +here and without publicity. If it is carried higher, it will involve not +only you, but all the others who signed the paper. If this concerned me +alone, I would not be here. But I cannot allow my friends to suffer, +simply because they are my friends." + +Jane delivered her ultimatum with a tense forcefulness that admitted of +no further trifling. + +"I can't--I won't--I----" floundered Elsie, now more afraid than angry. +"How do I know that you wouldn't take it to President Blakesly if I gave +it to you?" she demanded desperately. + +"Ah! She admits that she has it!" exclaimed Adrienne triumphantly. The +little girl had hitherto kept silent, content to let Jane do the +talking. "She is of a truth quite droll." + +"Yes, I have it!" Elsie fiercely addressed Adrienne. "I'm going to keep +it, too, you horrid little torment." + +It was Jane who now spoke, and with a finality. + +"A moment more, please. I want to ask you two questions, Miss Noble. The +first is: 'How did you happen to overhear the private conversation +between Miss Lacey and myself that you repeated so incorrectly to +Alicia?' The second is: 'How did you know that we intended to invite the +Bridge Street girls to the freshman frolic?' We had mentioned it to no +one outside, except Miss Marsh, who certainly did not tell you." + +"I won't answer either question," sputtered Elsie. "You can't make me +tell you. You'll never know from me." + +"I was sure you wouldn't answer." Jane smiled scornfully. "I asked you +merely because I wanted to call your attention to both instances. That's +all. I'm sorry we can not settle this affair quietly. If you will kindly +stand aside, Alicia will unlock the door." + +"I--you mustn't tell President Blakesly!" + +There was a hint of pleading in the protesting cry. Thoroughly cowed by +the fell prospect she was now facing, Elsie crumpled. + +"You're mean, too--mean--for--anything!" she wailed, and burst into +tears. "You--ought to be--ashamed--to--come--here--and--bully +me--like--this. I'll give you--the--paper--but--I'll hate you as long as +I live, Jane Allen!" + +Sheer intensity of emotion steadied her voice on this last passionate +avowal. + +Handkerchief to her eyes, she stumbled across the room to the +chiffonier. Jerking open the top drawer, she groped within and drew +forth a folded paper. Turning, she threw it at Jane with vicious force. +It fluttered to the floor a few feet from where she stood. + +Very calmly Jane marched over and picked it up. Unfolding it, she +glanced it over. + +"Please read it, girls," she directed, handing it to Judith. + +The latter silently complied and passed it to Adrienne, who in turn gave +it to Alicia. + +Alicia's face grew dark as she perused it. An angry spot of color +appeared on each cheek. + +"How could you?" she said, her eyes resting on her roommate in +immeasurable contempt. + +"You did perfectly right in coming here, Jane," she commented, as she +returned the paper to the latter. "I am ashamed to think I ever allowed +this girl's spite to come between us. I should have known better." + +"It's all past. It won't happen again, Alicia. Now----" + +With a purposeful hand Jane tore the offending paper to bits. Stepping +over to the waste basket she dropped them into it. + +"This incident is closed," she sternly announced to the sullen-faced +author of the mischief. "You understand that there are to be no more of +a similar nature involving us or any other girls here at Wellington?" + +"Yes," muttered Elsie. + +"Thank you." + +Jane had intended the "Thank you" to be her last word. Something in the +expression of abject defeat that looked out from that lowering face +stirred her to sudden pity. + +"I'm sorry this had to happen, Miss Noble," she said, almost gently. +"There's only one thing to do; forget it. We intend to. Won't you? I'm +willing to begin over again and----" + +"Don't preach to me! I hate you! I'll never forgive you!" + +Out of defeat, resentment flared afresh. Darting past the group of +girls, Elsie Noble gained the door which was now unlocked. She flashed +from the room slamming the door behind her with a force that threatened +to shake it from its hinges. + +"Some little tempest," cheerfully averred Judith. "Jane, let me +congratulate you. You did the deed." + +"Don't congratulate me." Jane scowled fiercely. "I feel like--well, just +what she said I was--a bully. She's not so much to blame. She's a poor +little cat's-paw for Marian Seaton." + +"She's to blame for letting herself be influenced by Marian," disagreed +Judith. "How do you suppose she found out about our going to invite the +Bridge Street freshmen to the dance?" + +"She must have, of a certainty, listened at our door," declared +Adrienne. + +"I don't believe she could hear a thing that way," disagreed Judith. +"These doors are heavy. The sound doesn't go through them. Besides, she +couldn't stand outside and eavesdrop long without being noticed by some +one passing through the hall. Girls are always coming and going, you +know." + +"Yet how could she otherwise know these things?" insisted Adrienne. + +"Give it up." Judith shook her head. "It's a mystery. She knew them. +Maybe some day we'll know how she learned. We'll probably find out when +we least expect to. Just stumble upon it long after we've forgotten all +about it." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +PLAYING CAVALIER + + +That evening after dinner, Jane indulged in one of her dark, +floor-tramping moods. The disagreeable interview of the afternoon had +left a bad taste in her mouth. She had done what she had deemed +necessary, but at heart she was intensely disgusted with herself. + +She wondered what Dorothy Martin would have done, given the same +circumstances. She longed to tell Dorothy all about it, yet she felt +that it belonged only to those whom it directly concerned. + +"Do sit down and behave, Jane," admonished Judith. "You make me nervous. +Your tramp, tramp, tramp gets into my head and I can't study. You act as +though you'd committed a murder and hidden the body in the top drawer of +the chiffonier." + +"Excuse me, Judy. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I guess the +whole affair has gotten on my nerves." + +With this apology, Jane sought a chair and made a half-hearted attempt +at study. Gradually she drew her mind from unpleasant thoughts and +proceeded to concentrate it upon her lessons for the next day. + +It was not until she and Judith were preparing for bed that the latter +re-opened the subject. + +"Adrienne and I tried a little stunt of our own after dinner to-night," +she confessed somewhat sheepishly. "Imp went into her room and I stood +outside the door. She read a paragraph out loud from a book, but I +couldn't understand a word she said. I could just catch the sound of her +voice and that was all." + +"Humph!" was Jane's sole reply. + +"Yes, 'humph' if you want to. It goes to show that the ignoble Noble +never got her information that way. The question is, 'How did she get +it?'" + +"I don't know and I don't care," returned Jane wearily. "Please, Judy, I +want to forget the whole thing." + +"I don't. I'm going to be an investigating investigator and solve the +mystery. Watch slippery Judy, the dauntless detective of Madison Hall. +Leave it to her to puzzle out the puzzle." + +"Better forget it," advised Jane shortly. + +"Oh, never! Let me have at least one worthy object in life, won't you?" +was Judith's blithe plea. "Never mind, Imp will support and admire my +ambition, even if you don't." + +Judith was not in the least cast down by the defeat of an unworthy foe. +She was glad of it. Brought up among girls, she was too much used to +such squabbles to take them to heart. + +For the next three days she and Adrienne amused themselves by planning +wild schemes to entrap the "ignoble Noble" and wring from her a +confession of her nefarious methods. So wild, indeed, were their +projects that the mere discussion of them invariably sent them into +peals of laughter. + +As a matter of fact, neither could devise a plausible scheme by which +they might discover what they burned to know. Both were agreed that +chance alone would put them in possession of the much desired +information. + +Wednesday evening of the following week saw Jane, Adrienne, Judith and +Norma set off in a taxicab for 605 Bridge Street to escort their new +friends to the freshman frolic. + +Due to the demand for taxicabs for that evening, they had been able to +secure only one, whereas they needed two. They had decided to overcome +this difficulty by having the driver make two trips, carrying four girls +at each trip. + +According to Judith, "We could all squeeze into one taxi, but I have too +much respect for my costly apparel to risk it." + +The quartette of escorting sophomores made a pretty picture that evening +as they trooped down the steps of the Hall to the waiting taxicab. + +Jane had chosen a particularly stunning frock of silver tissue, worn +over a foundation of dull green satin. In lieu of flowers, a single +beautiful spray of English ivy trailed across one white shoulder. The +gown was the handsomest she owned and she had originally intended to +save it for a later festivity. Realizing that she must inevitably become +a target for the displeased eyes of those who disliked her, she had +decided that so far as apparel went she would leave no room for +criticism. + +Adrienne, who loved daring colors, had elected to appear in a chiffon +creation, the exact shade of an American Beauty rose. It set off her +dark, vivid loveliness to perfection. Designed by herself, it had been +fashioned by a French woman who attended to the making of her +distinguished mother's gowns. In consequence, it was a triumph of its +kind. As a last touch, a cluster of short-stemmed American Beauties +nestled against the low-cut bodice of the gown. + +Judith looked charming in a white net over apricot taffeta with a bunch +of sunset roses tucked into the black velvet ribbon sash that completed +the costume. + +Norma was wearing the becoming blue and white gown Jane had given her +the previous year. Since that first eventful freshman dance, when Jane +had played fairy godmother to her, she had worn the exquisite frock only +once. Now it looked as fresh and dainty as it had on that immemorial +night. Trimmed as it was with clusters of velvet forget-me-nots, Norma +wore no natural flowers. + +Though she had by her summer's work in the stock company earned immunity +from drudgery, she had earned no more than that. With the exception of +this one gown, she dressed almost as simply as in the old days. She +confined her wardrobe to one or two serviceable one-piece dresses, a +coat suit and a quantity of dainty white silk blouses and lingerie. +These last were fashioned and laundered by her own clever fingers. + +"I hope we're not too fine for our girls," Norma remarked anxiously as +the four skipped, one after the other, from the taxicab at the Bridge +Street address. + +"I thought of that, too, but I decided that they'd like it if we looked +our very smartest. They are too independent to feel crushed by a mere +matter of fine clothes," was Jane's opinion. + +The frank admiration with which the four freshmen exclaimed over their +gorgeous escorts served to point to the accuracy of her opinion. + +"You're regular birds of Paradise!" laughed Freda. "We are certainly +lucky to capture such prizes. We're not a bit splendiferous, ourselves. +But then, why should we be? It wouldn't match with our humble status." + +"You look sweet, every one of you," praised Judith. "Your gowns are +dear. They are wonderfully becoming." + +"We made them ourselves last summer," explained Kathie with a little air +of pride. "We clubbed together and bought a bolt of this white Persian +lawn. Ida crocheted these butterfly medallions set in Freda's gown and +mine. Then Marie embroidered the designs on hers and Ida's gowns. Each +dress is a little different from the other, yet they all look pretty +much alike." + +"They are all beautiful," Jane warmly assured. + +She could say so in absolute truth. Simple, graceful lines, combined +with dainty hand-wrought trimmings had produced four frocks which would +have sold at a high price in an exclusive city dress shop. + +"Ah, but you are the clever ones!" bubbled Adrienne. "It is we who must +be proud of you. I would that _ma mere_ could see these frocks. She +would, of a certainty, rave with the delight. _Ma mere_, you must know, +is the true Frenchwoman who appreciates highly the beautiful handwork +such as this." + +"You rather take us off our feet," smiled Marie. "We were not expecting +it, you know." + +The brightness in her own eyes was reflected in that of her chums. +Girl-like, they found exquisite happiness in being thus appreciated. + +"We'd better be starting," Jane presently proposed. "We could get only +one taxi, so four of us will have to go first and four more in a second +load." + +Jane's anxiety to be starting lay not entirely in her natural impatience +of delay. She was not quite easy in mind regarding the reception +awaiting them. Marian Seaton had been chosen to stand in the receiving +line. That in itself was sufficient to make her believe that the earlier +the ordeal of formal greeting could be gone through with the better it +would be for all concerned. + +She did not doubt that Marian was in full possession of the facts +concerning her cousin's recent defeat. It would be exactly like Marian +to create a disagreeable scene. If this had to happen, she preferred +that it should take place before the majority of the crowd arrived. + +She had expressed this fear to Judith who had scouted at the idea on the +grounds that Marian "wouldn't be crazy enough to make an idiot of +herself before everybody." + +"You and Adrienne go first with your ladies, Judy," she continued. "If +you don't mind, I wish you'd wait in the corridor for the rest of us. +We'll be only a few minutes behind you." + +"It's just like this, girls," she turned to the four freshmen. "I'm not +borrowing trouble, but if any of the sophs in the receiving line +act--well--not very cordial, you needn't be surprised. It will be +because of that paper you girls wouldn't sign. I hadn't mentioned it +before, but----" Jane paused. "The girl gave it to us. We destroyed +it," she added with a briefness that did not invite questioning. + +"I'm glad you destroyed it," congratulated Freda. + +"So am I," came in concert from her three chums. + +"We're not a bit sensitive," lightly assured Ida Leonard. "We aren't +going to let a few snubs spoil our good time." + +"I guess we'll be sufficient unto ourselves," predicted Kathie +optimistically. "Now we'd better get our flowers, pals, so as not to +keep our distinguished cavaliers waiting." + +Excusing themselves, the quartette of freshmen repaired to the tiny back +porch, where the four bouquets of roses sent them by their escorts had +been carefully placed in water to keep them fresh against the time of +use. + +"They are awfully thoroughbred, aren't they?" commented Judith in an +undertone. "Never a question about that ignoble Noble mix-up. Honestly, +Jane, do you think Marian will behave like a donkey?" + +Laughter greeted this inquiry. Jane immediately grew grave. + +"It wouldn't surprise me," she shrugged. "We can't expect, naturally, +that she will notice us as we pass her in the receiving line. Certainly +we sha'n't notice her. If only she doesn't say something hateful to us +that will attract attention. I mean, about our freshmen." + +The return into the room of the latter, each laden with a big bouquet of +fragrant roses, cut short the conversation. + +Half an hour and the eight girls were reunited in the corridor leading +to the gymnasium. Each cavalier gallantly offering an arm to the +freshman of her choice, they walked two by two into the gymnasium, which +had been transformed for the night into a veritable ball room. It was +already fairly well filled with daintily gowned girls, who stood about, +or sat in little groups, talking animatedly. + +Near the entrance to the room, the reception committee were lined up in +all their glory. Jane's quick glance discerned Marian Seaton, +resplendent in an elaborate gown of pale blue satin, standing at the far +end of the line. Her usually arrogant features wore an expression of +fatuous complacency. It took wing the instant she spied Jane and her +friends. + +"Now it's coming," was Jane's mental conviction, as she noted the swift +lowering change in the other girl's face. + +Heading the little procession with Ida Leonard, Jane suddenly saw her +way clear. She could only hope that the others of her group would take +their cue from her. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE EAVESDROPPER + + +Politely responding to the greetings extended to herself and Ida as they +advanced down the line, they came at last to the girl who stood next to +Marian. The instant Jane had touched hands with the former she drew +Ida's arm within her own and turned abruptly away, without giving Marian +time to do more than glare angrily after her. Jane realized very well +that what she had done was in the nature of a rudeness, yet she felt +that under the circumstances it was justifiable. + +To her great relief, Judith, Adrienne and Ethel did precisely the same +thing. + +"Well, we came through with our heads still on," congratulated naughty +Judith in Jane's ear, the moment they had won clear of the fateful +receiving line. "Clever little Janie. I saw and I heeded. Our dear +Marian looked ready to bite. I think she would have snapped anyway, if +we'd given her half a chance. Good thing she was on the end. I'm sure +nobody noticed." + +"I hope no one did," Jane sighed. "I hated to do it. I think, too, she +intended to be hateful. I saw it in her face, so I just slid away +without giving her a chance. I'm glad that ordeal's over. Now I must +find some partners for Ida. The dancing will soon begin." + +This proved an easy task. Whatever might be freshman opinion of Jane +Allen, she had more friends among the sophomores than she had believed +possible. In touch socially with her class for the first time since her +return to Wellington, she was amazed at the smiling faces and gay +greetings which she met at every turn. + +It had a wonderfully cheering effect on her, coming as it did on the +heels of the recent freshman demonstration of ill-will. It gave her a +thrill of intense happiness. She resolved to put away every vexatious +thought and enjoy the frolic with all her might. + +That she had successfully put her resolution into effect was evidenced +by her bright eyes and laughing lips when, two hours afterward, she and +Judith seated themselves on a wicker settee after a one-step which they +had danced together for old time's sake. + +"I'm having a splendiferous time!" glowed Judith. "You can see for +yourself how much that old paper amounted to. Most of these freshmen +have been lovely to me. I've steered clear of the ones who looked +doubtful. I've had a few scowls handed to me. It's been easy to pick out +the ignoble Noble's satellites by their freezing stares. I wonder who +escorted our noble little friend? Cousin Marian, no doubt," she added, +with her ever-ready chuckle. + +"No doubt," was Jane's dry repetition. "Let's go and get some lemonade, +Judy," she proposed irrelevantly. "Just watching that crowd around the +punch bowl makes me thirsty." + +"I'm in need of a few cups of lemonade myself," concurred Judith +amiably. + +Attempting to rise, an ominous ripping sound informed Jane that Judith +had been unconsciously sitting on a fold of the silver tissue overdress +to her gown. + +"Oh, what a shame! I didn't know I was sitting on your overskirt, Jane. +That's too bad!" + +Judith hastily got to her feet to ruefully inspect the amount of damage +she had done. + +"It's nothing," Jane assured lightly. "Let's drink our lemonade and +then go over to the dressing room. I can pin this tear so it will stay, +I guess. The gathers are only ripped out a little." + +Having drunk two cups of lemonade apiece, they strolled on toward the +dressing room. It was the little side room the freshman team had used +the previous year when playing basket-ball. + +Nor were they aware, as they crossed the wide room, arm in arm, that a +certain pair of pale blue eyes jealously watched them. As they +disappeared through the dressing-room door, Marian Seaton hurried after +them, disagreeable purpose written on her face. + +Quite oblivious to the fact that she was one of a welcoming committee, +she had fully intended to say something cutting to Jane when the latter +should arrive that evening in the gymnasium. Having missed one +opportunity she did not propose to miss a second. This time Jane Allen +should hear what she had to say. + +At the slightly opened door she heard words which brought her to an +abrupt halt. It was not the first time she had listened at that selfsame +door. Edging close, she turned her back to it. + +Facing the big room, her pale eyes roved over it with studied +carelessness. Her ears, however, were sharply trained to catch the +sound of two voices that drifted plainly out to her. + +Meanwhile Judith, unaware of listeners, was gayly remarking as she +pinned up the tear in Jane's overdress: + +"This reminds me of the tear in the white lace dress that caused such a +fuss last year. It was a good thing you were around to help Norma out of +that mix-up. If it hadn't been for you, Edith Hammond would have gone +straight to Mrs. Weatherbee and told her that it was Norma who stole her +dress. I must say, Edith acted splendidly about it afterward. I never +thought she had it in her to do as she did." + +"Things looked pretty black for poor Norma that day until I made things +right with Edith," reminisced Jane. "She was determined to make Norma +give back her dress when all the while----" + +"It was Judy Stearns who had really stolen it," merrily supplemented +Judith. + +"I'll never forget Edith's face when I told her I was sorry to say that +the real thief was Judith Stearns," laughed Jane. + +"I was the thief, all right enough, but only a few people knew it. Alas, +my fatal failing!" grinned Judith. "There! I guess that will stay. +Let's go. I hear the enlivening strains of a fox trot. That means us." + +It also meant to the listener outside that her time of eavesdropping was +up. Before the two occupants of the dressing room had reached the door +Marian Seaton had hurried away from it, her original intention quite +forgotten. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +DIVIDING THE HONORS + + +Once the sophomores had done their duty in the way of entertaining their +freshmen sisters, they promptly turned to their own affairs. + +Following the freshman frolic a busy week of sophomore electioneering +set in. It was succeeded by a class meeting that barely escaped being a +quarrel. + +At least a third of the class had, it appeared, enlisted under Marian +Seaton's banner. These ardent supporters who had espoused her cause in +the previous year and had been defeated, again came to the front with +belligerent energy. Though lacking in numbers, they were strong in +disagreeable opposition. + +Christine Ellis' nomination of Judith Stearns for president, which was +seconded by Alicia Reynolds, caused one after another of Marian's +adherents to rise to their feet in hot objection. For five minutes or +more the chairman of the nomination committee had her hands full in +subduing the rebels. + +Stung by the insult, Judith arose, white with righteous wrath, to +decline the nomination. Repeated cries of, "Sit down, Judy. We want you +for our president!" "What's the matter with Judy? She's _all_ right!" +and, "Judy Stearns or nobody!" drowned the refusal she strove to utter. +In the end she threw up her hands in a gesture of despair and sat down, +amid approving cheers from her triumphant supporters. + +The nomination of Alicia Reynolds as vice-president was hardly less +opposed by the other faction, though it was carried in spite of protest. +With deliberate intent to shame, Barbara Temple calmly nominated Maizie +Gilbert as treasurer, thereby astounding the objectors to momentary +dumbness. They soon rallied, however, and one of their number hastily +seconded the nomination, which was carried. + +Emboldened to action, Maizie promptly nominated Leila Brookes, one of +her friends, for secretary. This nomination was avidly seconded by +another of Marian's adherents and also carried. Having won their point +against unworthy opposition, the majority could afford to be generous. + +The final result of the election found honors equally divided between +the two sets of girls, a condition of affairs which promised anything +but a peaceful year for 19--. + +Gathered at Rutherford Inn that evening for a spread in honor of Judith, +given by Christine and Barbara, the latter expressed herself frankly in +regard to the afternoon's proceedings. + +"That class meeting was as nearly a riot as could be," she declared +disgustedly. "I expected to engage in hand-to-hand combat before it +ended. I thought the best way to shame that crowd was to give them the +chance, they didn't want to give us." + +"They snapped at it, too," Christine Ellis said scornfully. + +"I'll never forgive you girls for making me president when I didn't want +to be," was Judith's rueful assertion. + +"We would never have forgiven you if you had backed out," retorted Ethel +Lacey. + +"I didn't have the least word to say about it. Nobody would listen to +me." + +Judith's comical air of resignation provoked a laugh. + +"You should thus be pleased that you are well-liked, Judy," asserted +Adrienne. "And Alicia, here, we were delighted with your success, _ma +chere_." + +"I never dreamed of being nominated." A faint color stole into Alicia's +pale face. "I'd much rather it had been one of you girls." + +"I'm heartily glad I was out of it all," declared Jane with emphasis. +"There's only one thing I really want this year in the way of college +honors." + +"To make the sophomore team?" asked Christine. + +"Yes." + +An eager light sprang into Jane's gray eyes. + +"You'll make it, Jane," predicted Barbara. "You can outplay us all. Some +of us are going to lose out, though. There are five of us here who are +going to try for it. Judy, Adrienne, you, Christine and I. Of course we +can't all make it. Quite a lot of sophs are going to try for it this +year besides us. Marian Seaton will be one of them, I suppose." + +"She'll make it, if any of her friends happen to be judges at the +try-out," commented Judith sagely. "I hope Dorothy Martin will be chosen +as one of the judges. She can be depended upon to do the fair thing. +Miss Hurley was awfully unfair last year. I wish Dorothy'd be chosen as +our manager." + +"We ought to do a little practicing, girls," urged Jane. "Let's start in +to-morrow afternoon, provided we can have the gym. I understand the +freshman team have been monopolizing it ever since their try-out last +week." + +"Who's on the freshman team?" asked Ethel curiously. + +"I don't know. Haven't been over to see them work," Jane replied. "Have +any of you?" She glanced about the round table at her friends. + +A general shaking of heads revealed the fact that no one had. + +"It's queer, but somehow I can't get interested in the freshmen," +confided Barbara Temple. "A lot of them acted awfully stand-offish +toward me on the night of the dance." + +"I noticed the same thing!" exclaimed Christine in surprise. "I thought +it was my imagination. Those four girls you folks brought were sweet, +though." + +"They are dandy girls," interposed Judith hastily, and immediately +launched forth in praise of the Bridge Street freshmen. + +Though she could have very quickly explained the strained attitude of +the freshman class to Christine and Barbara, she held her peace. She +decided, however, to have a talk that night with Jane. It was not fair +that these two loyal friends should be kept in the dark about what bade +fair to affect them unpleasantly. + +That she was not alone in her opinion became manifest when, toward nine +o'clock, Alicia, Ethel, Adrienne, Jane and herself bade Christine and +Barbara good night and went on across the campus toward Madison Hall. + +"Jane," began Judith abruptly, "I think we ought to tell Christine and +Barbara about that freshman business. I didn't want to say a word until +I'd put it up to you girls." + +"Yes, I suppose we ought to tell them." Jane spoke almost wearily. "I +didn't say anything about it to-night because I hated to drag it all up +again. If you see either of the girls to-morrow, Judy, you'd better +explain matters. I don't want to. I'm sick of the whole business." + +"I'm heartily sick of my roommate. I can tell you that," said Alicia. +"If I had known when that girl walked into my room that she was Marian +Seaton's cousin I should have refused to room with her. She's completely +under Marian's thumb. Whatever Marian tells her to do she does. You'd +think after what happened the other day that she'd be too angry ever to +speak to me again. Well, she isn't. She tries to talk to me whenever +we're together. She told me yesterday that I had made a terrible mistake +in giving up Marian for you girls." + +"Marian put her up to that," declared Judith. + +"Of course she did," nodded Alicia. "Elsie had the nerve to tell me that +Marian felt dreadfully over the horrid way I'd treated her. She blames +Jane for it, and says she'll get even with her for it. I blame myself +for being so hateful last year. Jane showed me how to be the person I'd +always wanted to be, but was too cowardly then to be it." + +"Jane is of us all the loyal friend," broke in Adrienne. "Sometimes she +wears the fierce scowl and has the look of the lion, yet I am not afraid +of her. See, even now she scowls, but she will not eat us. She scowls +thus to hide the embarrassment." + +The bright moonlight betrayed plainly the deep scowl between Jane's +brows to which Adrienne had called attention. + +"Imp, you're a rascal." Jane's brows immediately smoothed themselves. +"You know altogether too much about me. I was embarrassed. That's a +fact. What Alicia said made me feel rather queer because I don't think I +deserved it. I can't be the person I want to be myself, let alone +showing anybody else. That's what has been bothering me right along. I'd +like to be able to rise above caring whether or not Marian Seaton tries +to get even with me." + +"You can't do it, Jane, and be just to yourself," Alicia said very +positively. "I know Marian a great deal better than I wish I did. She'll +never stop trying to work against you as long as you're both at +Wellington. She'll never let a chance slip to make trouble for you. I'd +advise you to be on your guard and the very next time she tries anything +hateful, go to Miss Rutledge with the whole story of the way she's +treated you ever since you came to college." + +"I couldn't do that. Not for myself, I mean. If it were something +hateful she'd done to one of you girls, I could. I would have truly gone +to Miss Rutledge or even Prexy with that paper, because it was injurious +to Judy and Imp; not because of myself." + +"Never mind, Jane. I am here to protect you," Judith reminded gaily. +"I'd fight for you as quickly as you'd fight for me. Just remember +that." + +Judith began the little speech lightly. She ended with decided purpose. + +"I know it, Judy." + +Walking as she was beside her roommate, Jane slipped an affectionate +hand within Judith's arm. + +"If Marian plays on the team with you girls, then look out," further +advised Alicia. "She'll do something to stir up trouble, you may depend +upon it. I know I'm croaking, but I can't help it." + +"Wait till she makes the team," grinned Judith. "She may find herself +outplayed at the try-out. If she does, little Judy won't weep. No, +indeed. I'll give a grand celebration in honor of the joyful event." + +"I, also, will shed few tears," Adrienne drily concurred. "Ah, but I +shall look forward to that most grand celebration! So at last this very +wicked Marian shall perhaps be the cause of some little pleasure to us." + +Jane could not resist joining in the laugh that greeted this naive +assertion. She wished she could feel as little concern about the matter +as did Judith and Adrienne. Alicia's warning against Marian had taken +hold on her more strongly than she could wish. + +To Jane it seemed almost in the nature of a prophesy of disaster. She +found herself inwardly hoping with her friends that Marian would not +make the team. Instantly she put it aside as unworthy of what she, Jane +Allen, desired to be. A good pioneer must forge ahead, surmounting one +by one each obstacle that rose in the path. Again it came to Jane in +that moment, out under the stars, that it could make no difference to +her what Marian Seaton did or did not do to her, so long as she, an +intrepid pioneer, steadily kept to work at clearing her own bit of +college land. + +She had earlier expressed this conviction to Dorothy. Later it had been +swept away by bitter doubts as to whether she could continue to maintain +a lofty indifference toward Marian's spiteful activities. Would she be +obliged eventually to descend to Marian's level and fight her with her +own weapons? She had more than once, of late, darkly considered the +question. Now she knew that so long as Marian's spleen directed itself +against her, and her alone, she could never do it. She would fight for +her friends, but never for herself. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +RANK INJUSTICE + + +At half-past four o'clock on the Wednesday following the sophomore class +elections, the sophomore basket-ball try-out took place in the +gymnasium. Twenty girls of the sophomore class had elected to enter the +lists, while the usual number of freshmen and upper class spectators +lined the walls of the big room. + +Among the ten bloomer-clad girls who were finally picked for the +deciding tussle, five wore the dark green uniforms that had identified +them the previous year as the official freshman team. They were Judith, +Jane, Adrienne, Christine Ellis and Marian Seaton. Among the other five +contestants, Barbara Temple and Olive Hurst, both of last year's +practice team, had survived. The other three girls were disappointed +aspirants of the previous year's try-out, who had sturdily returned to +the lists for a try at making the sophomore team. + +When the shrill notes of the whistle sent the ten into deciding action, +it became immediately evident that it would be nip and tuck as to the +winners. In every girlish heart lived the strong determination to be +among the elect. In consequence, the zealous ten treated the spectators +to a most spirited exhibition of basket-ball prowess. + +When it had ended, the players ran off the floor, breathlessly to await +the verdict. With the exception of two of them, opinion was divided. +Regarding these two, there was no doubt in the minds of the watchers +that Jane Allen and Adrienne Dupree, at least, had made the team. They +were distinctly eligible. + +Each in her own fashion had shown actual brilliancy of playing. The +others had done extremely well. How well was a matter which must be left +to the three judges to decide. + +While the ten impatiently waited for the decision, over in the judges' +corner a spirited discussion was going on between Dorothy Martin and the +two seniors who were officiating with her in the capacity of judges. One +of them, Selina Brown, had already been appointed as basket-ball +manager of the teams for the year. + +"I do not agree with you, Miss Brown," Dorothy was protesting, her fine +face alive with righteous vexation. "In my opinion, Miss Stearns has +completely outplayed Miss Seaton. In fact she has always been the better +player of the two. Granted, Miss Seaton is an excellent player, but Miss +Stearns outclasses her. I say this in absolute fairness. Try them out +again and you will see, even if you don't now." + +"I am sorry to be obliged to differ with you regarding Miss Stearns, but +Miss Seaton must be my first and last choice. Miss Nelson quite agrees +with me. Do you not?" + +She turned triumphantly to the third judge for corroboration. + +"I--really--yes, I think Miss Seaton is the better player." + +The reply, begun hesitatingly, went on to firmness. Laura Nelson had the +grace to color slightly, however, as she made it. Indebted to Marian +Seaton for several rides in the latter's limousine, as well as +hospitable entertainment at Rutherford Inn, she felt compelled to stand +by at the critical moment. She had been privately given to understand +beforehand that Marian was to make the team, whoever else failed. + +"The majority rules, I believe, Miss Martin." + +A disagreeable smile hovered about Miss Brown's thin lips as she said +this. + +"It does, but----" Patent contempt looked out from Dorothy's steady +eyes. + +"But what?" sharply challenged Selina Brown. + +"It is an unfair majority," was the quiet accusation. "As the other four +players have been chosen, I will leave you to make the announcement." + +So saying, Dorothy turned abruptly and walked away, too greatly incensed +to trust herself longer in the company of the pair whom she had flatly +accused of unfairness. Straight across the gymnasium she walked to where +Judith, Jane, Christine, Barbara and Adrienne stood, an eager group. + +"Girls," she said, in a wrathfully impressive voice, "I'm going to stand +here beside you. When the announcement of the team is made you'll +understand why." + +"What's the matter, Dorothy?" anxiously questioned Christine. + +Four pairs of eyes riveted themselves wonderingly on Dorothy's flushed, +indignant face. None of the quartette had ever before seen +sweet-tempered Dorothy Martin so manifestly angry. Something of an +unusual nature must have happened. + +"Don't ask me now. Listen!" + +A loud blast from the whistle, held to Selina Brown's lips, was now +enjoining silence. Immediately after the sound had died away, a hush +fell upon the great room as the senior manager stepped forward and +announced: + +"For the official sophomore team the following players have been chosen: +Adrienne Dupree, Barbara Temple, Christine Ellis, Jane Allen, and Marian +Seaton. To act as subs: Olive Hurst and Marjory Upton." + +Immediately she went on with a speech, meant to be politely consoling to +the defeated contestants. + +A faint, concerted gasp arose from the little group collected about +Dorothy. This, then, was the explanation of Dorothy's indignation. + +"It's an outrage! I'm going to protest!" muttered Jane, her tones thick +with wrath. "No, I'm going to refuse to play on the team." + +"And I also," echoed Adrienne hotly. + +"Let's do it!" urged Christine, catching Barbara by the arm. "Right now, +before that Miss Brown gets through with her hypocritical speech." + +"No, girls, you mustn't. I--I--don't--want you to," quavered Judith. + +"We've got to, Judy! It's rank injustice, piled high!" declared +Christine tempestuously. + +"If you do--I'll hate all of you!" Judith desperately threatened. +"You've got to stay on the team, simply because I'm not on it. I'm not +blind and neither are you. One of us had to go to make room for Marian +Seaton. It would have been Jane, I'm sure, if she hadn't played so well. +They didn't quite dare do it. So I had to take it. We don't know what's +back of it. Maybe it's been done on purpose to bring about the very +thing you want to do. I say, don't give in to it. Stick to the team." + +"Judy's right, girls," interposed Dorothy. "Don't resign. You might only +be pleasing a number of persons by doing so." + +Further counsel on her part was cut off by a flock of sophomores who had +come up to congratulate the winners. The latter were wearing their +triumph far from exultantly. Jane was scowling in her most ferocious +fashion. Adrienne's piquant features were set and unsmiling. Christine +and Barbara appeared constrained and ill at ease. Judith alone had +conjured up a brave little smile with which to mask the hurt of her +defeat. + +"It's a shame you didn't make the team, Judy!" sympathized one tactless +sophomore. + +"Judy _did_ make the team, by rights," Dorothy defended, unflinching +purpose in the calm assertion. "I want it distinctly understood that she +was _my_ choice." + +"We thought, too, that she should have been chosen," exclaimed Alice +Kirby, another sophomore, with a vigorous nod of her head. "It seems +funny----" + +"It's anything but funny," Dorothy cut in sharply. "Pardon me, Alice, I +didn't intend to be rude to you. I'm dreadfully disgusted over this +affair. I'll leave you to guess the reason." + +"It's not hard to guess," retorted Alice significantly. "With Judy a +better player than Miss Seaton and yet not even chosen to sub, +something's twisted at Wellington. I rather think it will stay twisted, +too, as long as a certain person has two out of three judges on her +side." + +Alice had been one of Judith's most ardent supporters at the recent +class election. + +"Well, I'm glad you have such a clear idea of things," grimly returned +Dorothy. "Kindly pass it on. I'm not saying that vindictively, either. +I want everybody I know to understand that I consider this an unfair +decision and that I absolutely refuse to countenance it. Miss Brown +recently asked me to act as referee in the games this year. I accepted. +Now I'm going straight to my room to write her my resignation." + +"You mustn't do that, Dorothy," Judith again protested. "It's dear in +you. I surely appreciate it. Really, I don't mind so very----" + +Judith stopped, the wistfulness in her blue eyes contradicting her +unfinished denial. + +"But if you resign, Dorothy, there'll be no one to stand by us later," +reminded Christine gloomily. + +"I've thought of that, too, but it doesn't sway me. This is a matter of +principle. I could not be Judith's friend if I accepted this injustice +to her." + +"It is indeed wise that Dorothy should do this," Adrienne sagely wagged +her curly head. "First, it is but fair to you, Judy. Again we shall gain +rather than lose for this reason. Soon all must know why Dorothy has +thus resigned. She wishes it to be no secret. _Voila!_ For the rest of +the year these two most unfair seniors must have a care. The eyes of +many will be upon them. The pitcher may go once too often to the well. +_N'est ce pas?_" + +She turned to her listeners for corroboration. Wily child that she was, +she had decided to impress this view on those present, knowing that it +would be accepted and remembered. + +"We had thought, the four of us," she impressively continued, including +her three teammates and herself in a sweeping gesture, "to resign from +the team. Because Judy does not desire it, we shall remain only to +please her. Judy has the great heart and the broad mind. She has not the +narrow soul of some persons of whom I might speak, only that these names +leave the bad taste in my mouth." + +"Hurrah for Judy! Three cheers for Adrienne!" enthusiastically proposed +one of the highly impressed sophomores. + +The hearty burst of acclamation which suddenly rent the air was anything +but welcome to a number of girls still lingering in the gymnasium. + +Surrounded by a coterie of her own adherents, which included Leila +Brooks, Elsie Noble, Maizie Gilbert, and a number of upper class girls, +Marian Seaton's pale eyes darted a spiteful glance at the noisy +worshippers of the girls she detested. + +"Boisterous things!" she exclaimed disdainfully. "The idea of their +setting up such a howl about that Judy Stearns when she didn't even make +sub, let alone making the team. If they knew what I know about her, not +one of those sophs outside of her own crowd would ever speak to her +again." + +"What do you know about her? Don't be stingy, Marian." "Why not let us +into the know?" were some of the cries that greeted Marian's dark +insinuation. + +"I'll keep what I know to myself for the present. I am too charitable to +make trouble for that girl, even if she has done her utmost to injure +me. I'll never tell anyone unless there comes a time when I feel it +necessary to speak." + +Marian assumed an air of virtuous tolerance that caused Maizie Gilbert +to eye her with reluctant admiration. She alone knew what her roommate +was driving at. + +"I'm really relieved because you girls haven't carried on like wild +Indians about my making the team," she continued sweetly. "I hate being +made conspicuous." + +She was inwardly furious because her supporters had failed to become +wildly jubilant over her success. + +"Three cheers for Marian!" hastily proposed Elsie, realizing that it was +not yet too late to save herself from Marian's private displeasure. + +Far from being disgusted with the belated mead of praise, for which she +had fished, Marian beamed patronizingly as the cheers were given. + +These sounds of requisitioned acclamation were wafted to the ears of +Selina Brown and Laura Nelson, who were in the act of leaving the +gymnasium. + +"Well, she partly got what she wanted," remarked Selina Brown grimly as +they left the building and set off for Creston Hall where both lived. + +"I expect that she'll be peeved because things didn't go entirely her +way. I made a fatal mistake in asking Dorothy Martin to be one of the +judges," pursued Selina. "I had forgotten about her being so thick with +that Allen girl. Marian never mentioned it, either, until afterward. +Then she made a big fuss, but it was too late to renege. Last year I let +basket-ball alone. I'd had enough of it the first two years here at +Wellington. I wasn't in touch with these girls that Marian's so down on. +Roberta Hurley was managing the teams then, you know. She recommended +me to Miss Rutledge as her successor. I wish now I'd refused to act as +manager." + +"I'm sorry _I_ had anything to do with it," regretted Laura Nelson. "Of +course, Marian has been lovely to both of us. I was stupid enough to +mistake it for real friendship until she came right out the other night +and asked us to keep those three girls off the team. Then I knew she'd +only been getting an axe ready for us to grind." + +"Oh, I saw through her from the first, but I thought I'd humor her. +We've had a good many rides and dinners at her expense. I supposed it +would be easy enough to keep those three off the team. When I saw them +play I knew differently. That Jane Allen is a wonder with the ball; the +little French girl, too. If I had dropped either of them the sophs would +have raised the roof. I had to save my own reputation. It didn't matter +so much about the Stearns girl. She and Marian were pretty evenly +matched." + +"She's a better player than Marian," frankly disagreed Laura. "As it is, +I think we are in for trouble. We've antagonized Dorothy Martin. You +heard what she said to us. She won't hesitate to say it to anyone else +who claims Miss Stearns ought to have made the team. Dorothy's always +stood high at Wellington. She has lots of friends." + +"Oh, she'll calm down," predicted Selina. "She hates to be crossed. +Personally, I don't admire her. She poses too much. She's either a prig +or a hypocrite. A little of both, I guess. When Marian raged about my +asking her to act as judge she said she knew for a fact that Dorothy's +father had lost all his money and that Dorothy was hanging on to Jane +Allen and this French girl, I never can remember her name, because they +took her around with them and spent lots of money on luncheons and +dinners." + +"Then she's no better than we are!" exclaimed Laura, looking relief at +this piece of news. + +"Of course she isn't," retorted Selina. "As nearly as I can make out +it's nip and tuck between Marian and this Jane Allen as to which of them +will run the sophomore class. One has about as much principle as the +other. Marian has been nice to us. The Allen girl has never bothered +herself to get acquainted with us. I understand she's very haughty. I +should have really enjoyed keeping her off the team, but I didn't dare +do it." + +"Then you think we ought to stick to Marian?" Laura asked rather +dubiously. + +"Yes. Why not? So long as it suits us to do it. We can easily handle her +if she shows her claws. She won't, though. She knows that I could drop +her from the team if I chose. She won't dare say a word because the rest +of the team are against her. I'll very quickly remind her of it if she +is wrathy about to-day's affair." + +"Suppose anything--well--disagreeable for us--should come of it?" + +Despite Selina's assurances, Laura was not quite satisfied. + +"What do you mean?" queried Selina impatiently. + +"Suppose Miss Stearns' friends should take it up and raise a regular +riot about it? A lot of sophs went over to her after the try-out. You +saw them and heard them cheering her. Dorothy Martin was there with the +crowd. She went straight to them from us. I tell you, I don't like it, +Selina. I think we were foolish to lay ourselves open to criticism. +We're seniors, you know, and so are supposed to set a good example for +the other classes." + +"Oh, stop worrying about it," roughly advised Selina. "Wait and see what +happens. If the sophs start to fuss, I can soon settle them." + +"How?" demanded Laura incredulously. + +"By taking Marian off the team and putting the Stearns girls on," +promptly informed Selina. "If I lose Marian's friendship by it, I'll +gain Dorothy Martin's and Jane Allen's. As I'm not devoted to any of +these girls, I'm not particular which side I'm on, so long as it's the +side that does the most for me." + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE RISE OF THE FRESHMAN TEAM + + +Returned to Madison Hall that afternoon, Dorothy Martin went directly to +her room to put into effect the spoken resolution she had made in the +gymnasium. + +The brief note she dashed off in a strong, purposeful hand, read: + + "MY DEAR MISS BROWN: + + "Kindly appoint someone else in my place as referee for the coming + games. I must firmly decline to act in that capacity. + + "Yours truly, + + "DOROTHY MARTIN." + +Deciding to send it through the regular mail channels, she stamped and +addressed it, and promptly consigned it to the mail box. + +When it presently came into the hands of Selina Brown, it cost the +latter some moments of uneasy speculation. She had not reckoned on +Dorothy's going thus far. + +As it happened the note came as a climax to a trying session she had +spent with Marian Seaton on the previous evening. Marian had come over +to Creston Hall after dinner with blood in her eye. She was decidedly +out of sorts over the partial failure of her scheme and did not hesitate +to take Selina to task for it. + +Selina, as her elder and a senior, had vast ideas of her own regarding +the proper amount of respect due her from a mere sophomore. Armed with a +dignity too great to descend to open quarrel, she soon reduced angry +Marian to reason. + +"You ought to be thankful to me for putting you on the team," she had +coldly reminded. "Goodness knows Laura and I have had trouble enough +over it already. I proved my friendship for you. Now be good enough to +appreciate it and stop criticizing me. I consider it in very bad taste." + +After Marian had finally departed in a more chastened frame of mind, +Selina pondered darkly concerning the "friendship" she had flaunted in +Marian's face. She decided that Marian would have to show more +appreciation if she expected any further favors. + +Dorothy's note served again to arouse in Selina renewed resentment +toward Marian. She was now at odds with one of the most popular girls at +Wellington, and what had she gained? A few automobile rides and dinners, +bestowed upon her by a girl in whom gratitude was a minus quality. +Selina was distinctively aggrieved. She could only hope, as she +carefully reduced Dorothy's note to bits and dropped them into the waste +basket, that this was the end of the matter. It had all been aggravating +in the extreme. + +Three days passed and nothing more happened. She had half expected that +the four friends of Judith who had made the team might send in their +resignations. She wished they would. A new team would be far less likely +to give trouble later on. + +But no resignations arrived. In fact, a visit to the gymnasium on the +third afternoon revealed the sophomore team at practice. She wondered +how Marian had the temerity to go calmly to work with four girls whom +she detested, and who in turn must heartily detest her. + +Aside from Marian, who beamed and nodded to her, no one else on the team +appeared to note her presence. It was mortifying, to say the least. But +the end was not yet. + +Though Dorothy had made no secret of her resignation from basket-ball +activities, it took the news several days to reach the ears of the +freshman class. + +"Too bad Dorothy's given up referee's post this year, isn't it?" was the +casual remark that set the ball of reinstatement rolling. + +It was made to a member of the freshman team by Alice Kirby. There was a +purposeful gleam in her eye despite the apparent carelessness of the +comment. It immediately provoked a volley of questions, which Alice +answered with prompt alacrity. The effect upon the freshman was +electrical. She left Alice post haste to gather up her teammates and +hold a council of war. + +The very next afternoon the council waited upon Miss Rutledge with a +most amazing story. They wanted to play basket-ball that year. Oh, very +much indeed! Still, they didn't care to play without Dorothy Martin as +referee. Yes, Dorothy had been appointed by Miss Brown, but she had +resigned. No, it was not because she was too busy. Yes, they knew the +reason. They could not blame her. Nevertheless they wanted her back. + +It did not take long after this to explain that Dorothy had resigned +because Judith Stearns had been unfairly treated. Everyone who had been +at the try-out must know that Judy Stearns had outplayed Marian Seaton. +She had not been chosen but Marian had. Dorothy had protested to Miss +Brown. It had done no good. So she had resigned. + +Miss Rutledge had listened patiently to the tale poured forth by the +justice-seeking quintette. When it had ended she quietly promised them +that she would look into the matter and see what could be done. + +On the following morning, Dorothy, Laura Nelson and Selina each found a +note awaiting them in the house bulletin board, requesting them to call +on Miss Rutledge at four-thirty that afternoon. + +Dorothy was frankly puzzled over her note. Having a clear conscience she +could think of no reason for the summons. Selina, however, was +apprehensive. Immediately she jumped to the conclusion that Dorothy had +reported her to Miss Rutledge. Laura was also of the same opinion. + +As the two Creston Hall girls walked dejectedly down a corridor of +Wellington Hall to the dean's office that afternoon, sight of Dorothy +just ahead of them confirmed their worst fears. + +Invited by Miss Rutledge to take seats, the three bowed distantly to one +another. + +"I sent for you three young women," began Miss Rutledge, "because of a +rather peculiar story which has come to my ears concerning the recent +basket-ball try-out. The freshman team is up in arms because you have +given up referee's post, Miss Martin. They wish you to keep the +position. They have requested me to take the matter up with you in their +behalf." + +Selina and Laura both looked amazement at this statement. It was +certainly not what they had expected. Dorothy too showed marked +surprise. An amused little smile hovered about her lips. + +"It is nice in them to want me," she said gravely. "I appreciate their +loyalty. That is all I can say." + +"That is hardly enough to satisfy them or me," replied the dean. "I must +ask you to tell me why you resigned your post." + +"I would rather not answer that," Dorothy said with gentle firmness. + +"Very well. I will ask you another question. Did you resign because you +considered that Miss Stearns had been unfairly treated at the try-out?" + +Dorothy hesitated, then answered with a low, "Yes." + +"Please explain in what way she was unfairly treated," relentlessly +pursued the dean. + +"Miss Stearns made a better showing at the try-out than Miss Seaton. She +was one of the five best players. Miss Seaton would have ranked eighth +in my opinion. She was chosen instead of Miss Stearns." + +"You were one of the judges, I believe?" + +"Yes. My choice was Miss Stearns." + +"You were also one of the judges, Miss Brown?" + +The dean had now turned to Selina. + +"Yes." + +"And you, Miss Nelson?" + +"Yes." A guilty flush dyed Laura's cheeks. + +"Two against one in favor of Miss Seaton?" commented Miss Rutledge. "Let +me ask you two young women this. Were you both satisfied in your own +minds that Miss Seaton was the better player?" + +"I was," declared Selina boldly. + +"I--I----" + +The scrutiny of the dean's steady eyes disconcerted Laura. She could +not bring herself to look into them and utter a deliberate untruth. + +"I--it was hard to judge between them," she finally faltered. +"They--they were almost equally matched in my opinion." + +"Still, you must have thought Miss Seaton a little the better player, +else you would not have chosen her," asserted Miss Rutledge smoothly. + +"We had the right to our opinion," broke in Selina quickly, determined +to save Laura from crumpling to the point of blurting forth the truth. + +"That is true," agreed the dean, "provided it was a fair opinion. Miss +Martin states that it was not." + +"Miss Martin has no business to say that," retorted Selina hotly. + +"She has, if that is her opinion. She has the same privilege that you +have," was the grave reminder. "According to the statement just made by +Miss Nelson, she was not at all sure of Miss Seaton's playing +superiority over that of Miss Stearns. In that case, why did you not +order the game resumed, especially to test out these two players? That +would have been the best method of procedure." + +"Because it wasn't necessary. Miss Nelson gave her decision at once in +favor of Miss Seaton." + +"She seemed decidedly uncertain just now about it," said the dean dryly. +"As it happens, the members of the freshman team are of the same opinion +as Miss Martin. They claim that Miss Stearns completely outplayed Miss +Seaton. That it was too evident to be overlooked. I might investigate +this affair more thoroughly, but I do not wish to do so. As seniors, all +of you should be above reproach. Each knows best, however, what is in +her heart." + +Laura wriggled uncomfortably, looking ready to cry. Selina put on an air +of studied indifference. Dorothy presented the calm serenity of one +whose integrity cannot be assailed. + +For a long silent moment the dean's eyes traveled from face to face. +Then she said: + +"We shall settle this matter by another try-out to-morrow afternoon at +half-past four. I shall attend it. When you leave here, Miss Brown, +kindly post a notice in the bulletin board calling the sophomore team to +practice to-morrow. State that it is by my order. Miss Martin, please +notify Miss Stearns that I wish her to be there, also, ready to play. I +will appoint two seniors to act with me as judges. I am familiar, as +you know, with the game. This try-out will not affect the other members +of the team. We shall drop one of them temporarily to give Miss Stearns +the opportunity of playing against Miss Seaton. I rarely interfere in +the matter of college sports, but in this instance I feel compelled to +take action." + +"I suppose, if Miss Stearns wins, it will mean the loss of my position +as senior manager!" exclaimed Selina. + +She was too thoroughly disgruntled to realize to whom she was speaking. + +"Why should it? You have assured me of your honesty of purpose," flashed +back the dean. + +Selina's discourteous manner of addressing her she could ignore. The +import of the speech was, however, another matter. It contained +self-condemnation. Selina herself realized her mistake the instant Miss +Rutledge replied. She turned red as a peony. + +"I--I--just thought you might wish to appoint someone else," she said +lamely. + +"If you had admitted to me that you treated Miss Stearns unfairly, it +would certainly become necessary to appoint another manager," replied +Miss Rutledge. "You have not done so. In fact you have stated quite the +opposite. On the contrary, I must also accept Miss Martin's word that +she is speaking the truth as she sees it." + +"Thank you, Miss Rutledge," was Dorothy's sole comment. + +"If Miss Stearns wins against Miss Seaton at the new try-out it will be +by pure luck," declared Selina, with a desperate attempt at retrieving +her previous incautious remark. + +"There will, at least, be no question of unfair treatment involved." + +The blunt reply should have warned Selina that she was not bettering her +case. Instead, her belated attempt at caution flew away on the wings of +anger. + +"I think it's very unfair to Marian Seaton to hold another try-out!" she +exclaimed. "She won her position on the team fairly enough. This whole +affair is nothing but a plot to put Miss Stearns on the team and drop +Miss Seaton from it. Miss Stearns has four friends on the sophomore team +who have persuaded the freshman team to do what they themselves don't +dare do. As Miss Martin has frankly accused both Miss Nelson and myself +of unfairness, I will say plainly that I think her a party to the plot. +I dare say Miss Stearns knows all about it." + +"Miss Brown, you are not here to criticize my methods," sternly rebuked +the dean. "Granted that you are entitled to your own opinion, harsh as +it is, you must either be in a position to prove your accusations or +else not make them. Can you prove them?" + +"No, I can't. Neither can Dorothy Martin prove hers." + +"I can obtain the signatures of at least thirty girls who were of the +same mind as myself at the try-out." + +It had come to a point where Dorothy refused longer to remain mute. +Incensed by Selina's bold attempt to malign her friends and herself, she +now turned to Miss Rutledge and said: + +"I wish you to know, Miss Rutledge, that the four sophomores chosen, +besides Miss Seaton, to make the team fully intended to resign from it +because of their loyalty to Miss Stearns. She begged them not to do so. +She was very brave over the disappointment. I am positive that neither +she nor her friends would be guilty of asking the girls of the freshman +team to take up the matter. Certainly I would not." + +"I know you would not," quietly reassured the dean. "We will drop this +discussion where it now stands. It is unbecoming, to say the least. I am +greatly annoyed that it should have arisen among members of the senior +class. It is ended. Let it be forgotten. The try-out to-morrow will +decide the question. I would prefer you not to give up your position as +referee, Miss Martin. Will you reconsider your resignation?" + +"I will, since you desire it." Dorothy bowed acquiescence. + +"Then the matter is settled," was the concluding announcement. "I shall +expect all three of you to be present at the try-out to-morrow +afternoon." + +This was virtually a command. Had Selina dared, she would have coldly +declined to obey it. As it was she said nothing. Miss Rutledge's tones +indicating that the interview was concluded, she rose, bade the dean a +chilly "Good afternoon," and departed, accompanied by Laura. + +Dorothy also rose to go, but the dean detained her with a kindly: + +"Just a moment, Dorothy. I wish a private word with you. I know you too +well to believe you to be at fault in this matter." + +"I am not at fault, Miss Rutledge," was the composed answer. "I thank +you for believing in me." + +"There seems to be a great deal more behind this affair than appears on +the surface," the dean said significantly. + +"That is true," Dorothy affirmed. "Since the beginning of last year a +struggle has been going on here at Wellington between right and wrong. +The girl who represents right is too noble to complain. She will fight +things out unaided, and she will win." + +"You refer to Judith Stearns?" interrogated the dean. + +"No; not Judith." Dorothy shook her head. "Judith has merely been used +as a scapegoat. I would prefer not to say more. The girl who is in the +right would not wish it. She has been advised to come to you, but +refuses to do so. She is very determined on that point." + +"And you approve of her stand?" The dean eyed Dorothy quizzically. + +"Yes." Dorothy's affirmative came unhesitatingly. "I should feel the +same under similar circumstances." + +"Then you would advise me not to go too deeply into things?" + +There was a decided twinkle in the dean's eyes as she said this. She had +known Dorothy too long not to feel the utmost confidence in her. + +"I can't imagine myself as advising Miss Rutledge," she said prettily, +her sober face lighting into a smile. + +The smile, instantly returned, indicated perfect understanding. + +"I think you are right, Dorothy. I shall not interfere, except in the +matter of a new try-out, unless I am approached by the girl of whom you +speak. Frankly, I have no idea of whom she may be. These disagreements +among the students at Wellington seldom reach my ears. When they do I +always endeavor to see justice done the wronged party." + +When Dorothy had presently left her, however, Miss Rutledge sat +pondering over the intricacies of girl nature. Hailing from the far West +she was inclined to view the world from a man's standpoint. She was, +therefore, wholly in sympathy with a girl who could sturdily fight her +own battles without asking help of anyone. She could almost wish that +the identity of such an one might some day be revealed to her. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +REINSTATEMENT + + +Outside Wellington Hall, Laura and Selina stopped long enough to hold a +hurried conversation. As a result they both set their faces toward +Madison Hall to inform Marian Seaton of what was in store for her. + +"It's simply outrageous!" she stormed, when Selina had gloomily finished +relating the dire news. "I won't go to the gym to-morrow. Miss Rutledge +has no right to interfere with the teams." + +"She seems to think she has," shrugged Selina. "You'll have to do one of +two things. Either resign now from the team, or go to the try-out +to-morrow and take your chance of winning against Miss Stearns." + +"I won't do either," flatly declared Marian. "I made the team and I +won't be cheated of my position on it." + +"Do you think you can outplay Miss Stearns?" asked Laura anxiously. "You +didn't the other day, you know." + +"You'd best resign," cut in Selina sharply, without giving Marian time +to answer Laura's question. "If you go to the gym to-morrow it's going +to create a lot of gossip about Laura and me. Dorothy Martin hasn't made +a secret of her opinion of the other try-out. With Miss Rutledge there +to-morrow as one of the judges and neither Laura nor I acting with her, +it's going to look pretty bad for us." + +"I tell you I sha'n't be there to-morrow," snapped Marian. + +"Then you'll get yourself into trouble with Miss Rutledge and lose your +position anyway," returned Selina with equal asperity. "I've already +told you that I have received instructions to post a notice calling the +sophomore team to practice by her order. If you resign now, that will +end the whole thing. Of course the Stearns girl will get your position +on the team. Still you can save your own dignity and ours by pretending +in your resignation that you are deeply hurt. You can say, too, that you +would have been very willing to give up your position on the team to +Miss Stearns if you'd understood that she wanted it so much." + +"But I'm not willing to do any such thing," angrily contended Marian. +"I'll take my chance against Judith Stearns to-morrow before I'll tamely +resign like that. Come to think of it, it would be much more dignified +on my part to go to the gym. You, not I, have been accused of +unfairness. You put me on the team, you know." + +"Yes, and why did I?" flung back Selina hotly. "Because you asked me to +do it. Now you think you can hang the unfairness on my shoulders and +slip free of it yourself. Well, you can't. I know that Judith Stearns +can outplay you. If I thought she couldn't, I'd say go ahead. But she +can. As you won't resign of your own accord, I'm going to demand your +resignation. If you don't give it to me in writing, I'll go straight +back to Miss Rutledge and tell her the whole thing. I'd rather confess +to her than have everybody down on Laura and me after to-morrow." + +"You wouldn't do that. You can't scare me," sneered Marian. + +"Oh, wouldn't I? Wait a little. You'll see." + +"You'd be expelled from college. Just remember that. You'd find +yourself worse off than if you kept still," triumphantly prophesied +Marian. + +"_We_ wouldn't be expelled. _You_ probably would be. We'd be severely +reprimanded and Miss Rutledge would be down on us for the rest of the +year. But you started the whole thing. You're the real offender. It +would go hard with you." + +"I'm sorry I asked you to help me, Selina Brown!" Marian exclaimed +bitterly. "You're a treacherous snake! After all I've done for you, you +turn against me like this." + +For the next five minutes she continued to express her candid and very +uncomplimentary opinion of Selina. + +When she paused to take breath, Selina's only retaliation was, "Come on, +Laura. We'll have to hurry if we expect to catch Miss Rutledge in her +office. I suppose we'd best go to her house and wait for her. We'll be +surer of seeing her then." + +It had the desired effect. Marian crumpled, shed a few tears of pure +rage, but finally wrote the resignation which Selina dictated. + +"It worked!" was Selina's relieved exclamation, the moment they were out +of Madison Hall. "She's a great coward, for all her boldness. She gave +in more easily than I'd expected. You can imagine me confessing anything +like that to Miss Rutledge, now can't you?" + +Selina accompanied the query with a derisive laugh. It was echoed by +Laura, though rather nervously. + +"It was horrid to have to bully her." Laura made a gesture of distaste. +"I'm glad we're safely out of it. We'd best keep out of such tangles +hereafter, and let the sophs alone." + +"I intend to," Selina said with grim decision. "I shall keep the +managership of the teams, but I'll steer clear of trouble after this. +Now let's hustle home. I must write Miss Rutledge a note and enclose +Marian's resignation. I'll ask her to answer, stating whether it is +satisfactory and asking what I am to do. I'll pretend that I found the +resignation waiting for me at Creston Hall." + +Half an hour later, Selina had written her letter and dispatched it to +Warburton Hall, the faculty house where Miss Rutledge lived, by the +small son of Mrs. Ingram, the matron of Creston Hall. + +When the dean had read and re-read the two communications, she looked +decidedly grave. After a brief interval of thoughtful meditation, she +wrote Selina the following reply: + + "DEAR MISS BROWN: + + "Kindly write to Miss Seaton and accept her resignation from the + sophomore team. Do not post the notice I requested you to post. It + will not be necessary. Write to Miss Stearns notifying her that + Miss Seaton has resigned from the team and that I wish her to + accept the position thus left vacant. + + "Yours truly, + + "GERTRUDE RUTLEDGE." + +When the next morning's mail brought Judith the amazing news, +unwillingly penned by Selina Brown, she was literally dumfounded. The +mail arriving while she was at breakfast, she garnered the note from the +house bulletin board on her way upstairs from the dining-room. + +"For goodness' sake, read this!" she almost shouted, bursting in upon +Jane, who was preparing to go to her first recitation. "I don't know +what to make of it!" + +A slow smile dawned on Jane's lips as she perused the agitating note. + +"Marian never resigned by her own accord," she said. "It looks as +though her scheme had somehow proved a boomerang. Someone stood up for +you, Judy, mighty loyally. Miss Rutledge's name being mentioned in the +note tells me that. Was it Dorothy, I wonder? No; it wasn't. She +promised us that she wouldn't go to Miss Rutledge about it." + +"It's a mystery to me," declared Judith. "I don't know what to do. I +wonder----" + +A rapping at the door sent her scurrying to open it. + +"Why, Dorothy!" she exclaimed. "How did you know I wanted to see you?" + +"I didn't know. I came because I have a special message for you from +Miss Rutledge. She sent for me to come to her last night after dinner. I +spent the evening with her and arrived here too late to see you. I was +dying to tell Jane this morning at breakfast, but couldn't, of course, +until I'd seen you. I'm glad you're both here. By the way, Judy, did you +receive a note from Selina Brown?" + +"I certainly did," emphasized Judith. "What's the answer to all this, +Dorothy? I was never more astonished in all my life than when I read her +note. What made Marian Seaton resign from the team, and why does Miss +Rutledge want me to take her place? I'd just about made up my mind to +go and ask her, when you came." + +"You needn't," smiled Dorothy. "She has asked me to explain things to +you in confidence. I'm going to take the liberty of including Jane. I'll +explain why presently." + +"I won't feel hurt if you don't, Dorothy," Jane said earnestly. "Perhaps +you'd really rather tell Judy alone." + +"No. I want you to hear the whole thing," Dorothy insisted. Whereupon +she recounted what had occurred on the previous afternoon in the dean's +office. + +"I wanted you to know, Jane, just why I told Miss Rutledge that this +affair was a hang-over from last year. I know she has no idea of whom I +meant by the girl who was standing up for right. She may suspect Marian +as being the other girl. I can't say as to that. I'm glad she knows now +that there is such a condition of affairs at Wellington. She will not +forget it if anything else comes up. She will be very well able to put +two and two together, if need be." + +"I'd never go to her of my own accord," Jane said with an emphatic shake +of her russet head. + +"You might be sent for some day, just as I was yesterday," returned +Dorothy. + +"But you haven't yet explained why Marian resigned, Dorothy," reminded +Judith. "What did Miss Rutledge say about it?" + +"She said that she had received a note from Selina, with Marian's +resignation enclosed. Marian's reason for resigning was that she had +learned you were dissatisfied over her appointment on the team. She +preferred to give you her position rather than have you continue to make +trouble about it." + +Dorothy's lips curled scornfully as she said this. + +"Then I won't accept it!" Judith blazed into sudden anger. "The idea of +her writing such things about me! How can Miss Rutledge ask me to +replace Marian after that? I won't do it." + +"Yes, Judy, you must," Jane declared quietly. "Marian wrote that hoping +you'd hear of it and refuse. She knew you'd insist on learning the +particulars before you accepted. Miss Rutledge has shown her faith in +you by asking you to replace Marian on the team." + +"Selina Brown is behind the whole thing," asserted Dorothy. + +"I believe it," quickly concurred Jane. "It's easy to see through +things. She didn't want another try-out; so she made Marian resign. She +must have used a pretty strong argument to do it. It was a case of the +biter being bitten, I imagine." + +"Exactly," Dorothy agreed. "Selina Brown and Laura Nelson ought to have +more principle than engage in anything so dishonorable. They've managed +to wriggle out of it at Marian's expense, but they have both lost caste +by it. Depend upon it, a great many girls here will have their own +opinion of the whole affair and it won't be complimentary to Marian, +Selina and Laura." + +"Someone may say that I am to blame for Marian's resigning," advanced +Judith doubtfully. + +"Someone undoubtedly will," concurred Jane, "but it won't carry much +weight. You have too many friends, Judy, to bother your head about the +spiteful minority. You were unfairly dealt with at the try-out. That's +generally known. Now you've come into your own through a hitch in +Marian's plans. She couldn't get back on the team again under any +circumstances. You're not standing in her way. Don't stand in your own." + +"I guess I'd better accept," Judith reluctantly conceded. "From now on I +shall go armed to the teeth. Marian Seaton is apt to camp on my trail," +she added with a giggle. "Good gracious, girls! Look at the time! We'll +be late to chapel." + +Absorbed in conversation, the trio had completely forgotten how swiftly +time was scudding along. + +"Late to chapel! Chapel will be over before ever we get there if you +don't hurry!" exclaimed Jane ruefully. + +Accordingly the three made a hasty exit from the room and the Hall, +hurrying chapelwards at a most undignified pace. + +That afternoon Judith sent her letter of acceptance to Selina Brown. The +next day she reported in the gymnasium for practice with her old +teammates. It was a joyful reunion, made more conspicuous by the +attendance of a goodly number of sophomores, who had got wind of the +news and who cheered Judith lustily when she appeared. The freshman +team, who had so loyally fought for her, also made it a point to drop in +on the practice and offer their congratulations. + +The jubilant majority was undoubtedly heart and soul for Judith. +Whatever the "spiteful minority," as Jane had put it, thought of her, +she quite forgot in the delight of being at last really and truly on the +official team. + +"We certainly are a fine combination!" exulted Christine at the end of +an hour's spirited work with the ball. "The freshmen will have to look +out. And to think they were the ones to give Judy back to us!" + +Christine, Adrienne and Barbara were among the few who knew that the +freshman team had protested to Miss Rutledge. The five freshmen +themselves had kept the matter fairly quiet. They had been sent for and +privately informed by Miss Rutledge that Miss Seaton had resigned from +the sophomore team of her own accord and that Miss Stearns was entitled +to the vacancy. + +They had also been gravely charged to let that end all discussion of the +subject. Their point gained, they obeyed orders, except for a certain +amount of curious speculation among themselves as to how it had come +about. + +In the end they agreed that Marian must have heard of their visit to +Miss Rutledge and resigned out of pure mortification. + +Jane, Judith and Dorothy kept the greater knowledge of the affair to +themselves. Not even Adrienne knew the true facts. Selina Brown and +Laura Nelson also found wisdom in silence. They were not hunting further +trouble. They had had enough. + +Selina had been allowed to keep her managership of the teams, and was +shrewd enough to appreciate that another slip would be decidedly +disastrous to her. Thereafter she became such a stickler for fair play +as to prove decidedly amusing to at least three girls. + +Marian Seaton found refuge in the "hurt feelings" policy as dictated to +her by Selina. To her particular satellites she posed as a martyr and +affected a lofty disdain for "certain girls who have no principle." + +Inwardly she was seething with resentment against Judith. She confided +to Maizie, her stand-by, that she didn't know which of the two she hated +most, Judith Stearns or Jane Allen. She laid her latest defeat, however, +at Judith's door. She believed that Judith had been the secret means of +inciting the freshman team to protest and she was determined to be even. +Furthermore, she confided to Maizie that it would be only a matter of +time until Judith Stearns must lose every friend she had. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +MAKING OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY + + +Following on the heels of Judith's advent into the team came an +unheralded and wonderful surprise for Dorothy Martin. + +One crisp Saturday afternoon in early November, Jane Allen ran up the +steps of Madison Hall, her face radiant. Attired in riding clothes, she +had just come from the stable, where she had left Firefly after a long +canter across country. + +Into the house and up the stairs she dashed at top speed, bound for +Dorothy Martin's room. + +"Come," called a cheerful voice, in answer to her energetic rapping. + +"Oh, Dorothy!" Jane fairly bounced into the room. "Get on your hat and +coat and come along. I've something to show you." + +"What is it? Where is it?" gaily queried Dorothy. "To mend or not to +mend, that is also the question. Shall I go on mending my pet blouse +that's falling to pieces altogether too fast to suit me, or drop it and +go gallivanting off with you?" + +"There's no question about it. You must come. If you don't, you'll be +sorry all the rest of the year," predicted Jane. "Now sit and mend your +old pet blouse if you dare!" + +"I dare--not," Dorothy laughed. Rising she laid aside the silk blouse +she was darning and went to the wardrobe for her wraps. "I'm a very poor +senior these days," she added. "I can't buy a new blouse every day in +the week. I have to make my old ones last a long time." + +"You always look sweet, Dorothy," praised Jane, "so you don't need to +care whether your blouses are old or new. They're never anything but +dainty and trim." + +"Thank you for those glorious words of praise," was Dorothy's light +retort. + +"You're welcome, but do hurry," urged Jane. + +"Where do we go from here?" quizzed Dorothy as they started down the +drive. + +"I sha'n't tell you. Wait and see, Miss Impatience. This is a very +mysterious journey." + +In this bantering strain the two continued on to the western gate of the +campus, passed through and started down the highway. + +"I know where we're going!" finally exclaimed Dorothy. "We're going to +the stable to see Firefly! Funny I didn't guess it before, with you in +riding clothes. You're going to show me some new trick you've taught +Firefly. There! Did I guess right?" + +"Yes, and no. That's all I'll tell you. Come on. One minute more and +you'll see the great sight." + +Jane caught Dorothy's hand and rushed her toward the stable. Still +keeping firm hold on her friend, she led her straight to the roomy +box-stall which accommodated Firefly. + +"Oh, Jane!" Dorothy cried out in sudden rapture. "What a beautiful +horse. Why, he looks almost enough like Firefly to be his brother. Where +did you get him? What in the world are you going to do with two horses?" + +"He's not mine," Jane replied. "He is----" She stopped, her gray eyes +dancing. "He belongs to a dear friend of mine. Her name is Dorothy +Martin." + +Dorothy stared, as though wondering if Jane had suddenly taken leave of +her senses. + +"Wake up, Dorothy!" Jane laid an affectionate hand on Dorothy's +shoulder. "He's yours. Dad sent him to you. He's come all the way from +Capitan to see you. Aren't you going to say 'How de do' to him?" + +"Jane--I----" + +Dorothy turned and hid her head against Jane's shoulder. + +"This is a nice way to welcome poor Midnight," laughed Jane, as her arm +went round Dorothy. Her own voice was not quite steady. + +"I--I--it's too much," quavered Dorothy, raising her head. "I can't +believe that beauty is for me. It's too wonderful to be true. I must be +dreaming." + +"But it _is_ true. If you don't believe me, read this." + +Jane drew a square, white envelope from the pocket of her riding coat +and offered it to Dorothy. + +"It's for you, from Dad," she explained. "I've been keeping it until +Midnight came. This is the outcome of a plot. A real plot between Dad +and me." + +Dorothy took the letter, her eyes still misty. + +"We'll read it together, Jane," she said. + +Arms entwined about each other's waists, the two girls read Henry +Allen's letter to his daughter's friend. + + "DEAR MISS DOROTHY," it began. "Jane has written me that Firefly + complains a great deal about being lonely. He misses Midnight, an + old chum of his. So I decided that Midnight might come East, + provided he had someone to look after his welfare. Jane has told me + so much about you, and that you resemble one who, though gone from + us, grows ever dearer with years. + + "Because of this, and because of your many kindnesses to my girl, I + hope you will accept Midnight for your own special pet. He is very + gentle and, in my opinion, quite as fine a little horse as Firefly. + You cannot, of course, expect Jane to say that. I send him to you + with my very best wishes and trust that you and Jane will have many + long rides together. + + "My sister and I look forward to meeting you next summer. Jane + tells me that she will surely bring you home with her when college + closes next June. We shall be delighted to welcome you to El + Capitan. My sister joins me in sending you our kindest regards. + + "Yours sincerely, + + "HENRY ALLEN." + +"It's just like good old Dad!" Jane cried out enthusiastically. "You'll +love Midnight, Dorothy. Come and get acquainted with him. I've a whole +pocketful of sugar for him and Firefly." + +In a daze of happiness Dorothy followed Jane into the roomy stall and +was soon making friendly overtures to Midnight, who responded most +amiably. + +There was still one more feature of the program, however, which Jane +hardly knew how to bring forward. + +"Dorothy," she began rather hesitatingly. "I hardly know how to say it, +but--well--this stall is large enough for both Midnight and Firefly. +They were chums at home and will get along beautifully together. Won't +you let me look after them both? You know what I mean?" + +"I'm glad you came out frankly with that, Jane." Dorothy's color had +heightened. "No, I couldn't let you do that. I shouldn't feel right +about it. I've been thinking hard ever since I read your father's +letter. I believe it's right for me to accept Midnight, because you both +want me to have him and have gone to so much trouble to bring him here. +I've thought of a way out of the difficulty. Only yesterday a freshman +came to me and asked me to tutor her in trigonometry. She's been +conditioned already and needs help. I told her I'd let her know. I +wasn't sure whether I wanted to do it. I've never tutored and I could +get along without the extra money. But now, it will come in just +beautifully. I can earn enough to pay for Midnight's keep. You +understand how I feel about it." + +"Yes. I know I'd feel the same," nodded Jane. "That's why I hated to say +anything. I want you to do whatever you think best. Anyway, Firefly and +Midnight can be in the same stall and that will help some. You must let +me do that much." + +"It will help a great deal. I'm not sure that I ought to let you do even +that," demurred Dorothy. + +"Of course you ought," Jane said sturdily. "You must mind Dad, you know. +He depends on you to look after Midnight's welfare. This is the largest, +nicest stall in the stable. Now you must see your saddle. It's Mexican +and almost like mine. I put it in the locker with mine. They're too +valuable to be left lying about loose." + +Lingering for some little time while Dorothy made further acquaintance +with her new possession, the two girls strolled back to the Hall +through the November dusk. + +Dorothy was exuberantly joyful over the wonderful thing that had +happened to her, and correspondingly grateful to those responsible for +it. Jane was also brimming with quiet happiness. She wished every other +day of her sophomore year could be as delightful as this one. What +splendid rides she and Dorothy would have together! + +Jane left Dorothy at the door of the latter's room and went on to her +own in a beatific state of mind. It was certainly far more blessed to +give than to receive. + +"Well, how did the gift party come off?" was Judith's question, as Jane +closed the door behind her. Judith was the only one who had been let +into the secret. + +"Oh, splendidly!" Jane exclaimed. "She fell in love with Midnight the +minute she saw him. I wish you rode, Judy. I'd have Dad send you a +horse, too." + +"Of course you would, generous old thing," was the affectionate reply. +"But I'm not to be trusted with a noble steed. Neither would I trust +said steed. I can admire Firefly, but at a safe distance. I'd rather +stick to the lowly taxi or my two feet to carry me over the ground. By +the way, did you look at the bulletin board on your way upstairs?" + +"No; I didn't stop. I saw a couple of the girls reading a notice. What's +happened?" + +"Our dear Marian has met with a loss." Judith's grin belied her mournful +accents. "Not her position on the team. Oh, my, no! She's not +advertising _that_. She's lost a valuable diamond ring, and has offered +twenty-five dollars reward to the finder. The very idea! Just as if a +Wellington girl would accept a reward if she happened to find the ring. +I call that an insult." + +"It's bad taste, to say the least." Jane looked slightly scornful. "Does +the notice state where she believes she lost the ring?" + +"Yes; it says, 'Somewhere between Madison Hall and the library, or in +Madison Hall.' Between you and me, I wonder if she really did lose a +ring? It would be just like her to start this new excitement about +herself on purpose to get sympathy. She must be awfully peeved yet over +basket-ball. I feel almost like a villain at practice. Still, it +certainly wasn't my fault." + +"I'm thankful there's no one here at the Hall she could lay suspicion +upon," frowned Jane. "Norma's beyond reach of injustice now. I'd rather +hope it was a real loss than a camouflage." + +"Well, she might say that I had stolen it. Wouldn't that be a glorious +revenge?" Judith jokingly inquired. + +"Don't be so ridiculous, Judy Stearns." Jane's frown changed to a smile +at this far-fetched supposition on Judith's part. + +"Oh, she'll probably find it again one of these days, after everyone's +forgotten about it and gone on to some other great piece of news," +Judith unfeelingly asserted. "You see how sympathetic I am." + +"I see. I also see the clock. It's time I changed these riding togs for +a dress. I'll barely have time before the dinner gong sounds." + +Jane rose from the chair she had briefly occupied while listening to +Judith, and began hurriedly to remove her riding habit. + +Quickly rearranging her thick, curling hair, she dived into the closet +that held her own and Judith's dresses. Selecting a fur-trimmed frock of +dark green broadcloth, she hastily got into it. + +As she hooked it a little smile played about her lips. The news of +Marian's loss already forgotten, Jane was again thinking of the pleasant +little scene enacted in the boarding stable, where Firefly and Midnight +now stood side by side. + +"You must go down to the stable with us to-morrow and look Midnight +over, Judy," she suddenly remarked, then went on with an enthusiastic +description of Dorothy's new treasure. + + * * * * * + +While she thus dwelt at length upon Midnight's good points, in a room +not far distant two girls were conducting a most confidential session. + +"How long do you think we ought to wait before--well, you know?" Marian +Seaton was asking. + +"Oh, about three weeks, I should say," lazily returned Maizie Gilbert. +"We'll have to go slowly. It will take three or four months to do the +thing properly. If we rushed it, it wouldn't be half as effective as to +take our time. What about Elsie?" + +"We'll tell her about the dress business, but no more than that. She +mustn't know a word about the rest. She has a frightful temper, you +know. If she happened to get good and mad at me, she'd tell everything +she knew to the very first person she ran across. She'll be properly +shocked when she hears about the dress. We'll tell it to her as a great +secret," planned Marian. "I won't say anything outright about the ring. +I'll leave it to her to draw her own conclusions. She's rabid about Judy +Stearns. It seems she has heard that Judy nicknamed her the 'ignoble +Noble.'" + +"That's a funny one!" + +Maizie appeared to derive signal enjoyment from this revelation. + +"I fail to see anything funny about it." Marian stiffened perceptibly. +"Please remember, Maiz, that Elsie is _my_ cousin." + +"Oh, I haven't forgotten it. That's a funny nickname, just the same." + +Maizie calmly declined to be thus easily suppressed. + +"It suits me to know that Elsie heard about it," Marian said, after an +instant's vexed silence. + +She knew better than to continue to oppose Maizie. For one of her +sluggish temperament, Maizie could turn decidedly disagreeable when she +chose. + +"Yes, it comes in very nicely just now," drawled Maizie. "Elsie needs a +spur to keep her going. Keep her in a rage and she's a fine little +mischief-maker. Let her calm down and she's likely to crumple. She +really has some idea of principle, only she doesn't know it. I wonder if +she'll ever find it out." + +"Do you mean to insinuate that _I_ haven't?" demanded Marian crossly. + +"No; I say it plainly. Neither you nor I have any principle," declared +Maizie with her slow smile. "We might as well be honest about it. We +never are about anything else, you know. It doesn't worry me. It's +rather interesting, I think. Keeping things stirred up relieves the dull +monotony. There's always the chance that we may win. We have never won +yet, you know. We're still here, though, and that's a consolation. This +latest idea of yours ought to amount to something in the long run." + +"Really, Maiz, you are the most cold-blooded girl I ever met!" Marian +cried out in exasperation. "Sometimes I feel as if I didn't understand +you at all." + +"I don't pretend to understand myself," returned Maizie tranquilly. "It +would be too much trouble to try. Besides, self-analysis might be fatal +to my comfort. I might dig up a conscience, and that would be a bore. +I'd rather take it easy and smile and be a villain still. Changes are so +disagreeable. You'd find that out, if one came over me. You'd be minus a +valuable ally." + +"Do you mean that as a threat?" + +Marian laughed. There was, however, a note of anxiety in her question. +She had no desire to lose so valuable an ally as Maizie. + +"A threat? No. Don't be scared. I'm still wandering along under the +Seaton banner. I suppose I'm rather fond of you, Marian. Don't know why, +I'm sure. You're thoroughly selfish, and we quarrel continually. That's +the real reason for it, I suspect. You keep things going. That's your +chief charm. Then, too, you've been fair enough with me. Whatever you +may do to others isn't my concern. I don't intend that it shall be. If I +were to start in the other direction I couldn't stop halfway. I'd keep +on going. Then where would you be? As I said before, 'Changes are +disagreeable.' So I'm going to stay on your side and, take my word for +it, it's a mighty good thing for you." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A NEW FRIEND + + +In spite of the peculiarly sinister talk between Marian Seaton and +Maizie Gilbert, nothing unusual occurred during the next few weeks to +disturb the peace of either Judith or Jane. + +Thanksgiving came and went with the usual round of college gaieties. +Four days being too short a holiday to permit the majority of the +Wellington girls going home, they remained at college and did much +celebrating. + +On Thanksgiving Day the first in the series of three basket-ball games +was played between the sophomores and the freshmen. The sophomores won, +though the freshmen gave them a hard tussle, the score standing 22-18 in +favor of the sophs when the hotly contested game ended. Both teams made +a fine appearance on the floor. Neither team had adhered to class +colors that year in choosing their basket-ball suits. The freshmen wore +suits of navy blue, decorated with an old rose "F" on the front of the +blouse. A wide rolling sailor collar of the same color further added to +the effect. The sophomores had elected to be patriotic, and wore +khaki-colored suits, unrelieved by a contrasting color. It was a decided +innovation of its kind and they liked it. + +Afterward the sophomore team privately agreed that the girls of the +freshman team were real thoroughbreds. They accepted their defeat in the +most good-humored fashion and heartily congratulated their opponents on +their playing. + +As Right Guard, Jane proved herself worthy of the position. She played +with a dash and skill that was noticeable even above the good work of +the other players. Her mind was too fully centered on the contest to +realize this until at the end of the game she was mobbed by a crowd of +enthusiastic sophs. They marched her in triumph twice around the +gymnasium to the cheering, ringing accompaniment of "Who's Jane Allen? +Right, right, right Guard!" + +Jane never forgot that stirring cry of "Right Guard!" It conveyed to her +a higher meaning than mere basket-ball glorification. It fell upon her +ears as an admonition to do well. To do right, to be right, and to stay +right. It was almost as if she had been elected by her own soul to be a +guardian of right. + +That night the losing freshman team did something unprecedented in the +history of Wellington. They entertained their conquerors at dinner at +Rutherford Inn. More, Jane was amazed to find herself the guest of honor +and had to respond to the highly complimentary toast, "Right Guard +Jane," given by Florence Durham, the freshman captain. + +So Jane's Thanksgiving holiday came and went in a blaze of well-earned +glory. Happy in this unexpected appreciation of herself, which appeared +to be steadily growing, she came to feel that things had at last begun +to take an upward turn. + +With Christmas rapidly approaching and everything still serene, pleasant +immunity from the disagreeable was still hers. Neither had Judith met +with anything disturbing to her happiness, beyond an occasional spiteful +glance from Marian Seaton when she chanced to encounter the latter in +the Hall or on the campus. + +"I guess Marian has given up the ghost," Judith suddenly remarked to +Jane one evening before dinner, as the two sat in their room going over +their long Christmas lists. "I believe I ought to send her a consolation +present. A wooden tiger on wheels would be nice. I saw some lovely ones +in the Ten-Cent Store at Chesterford. All painted with dashing yellow +and black stripes and fixed so that they waggle their heads when you +touch 'em." + +"Don't mention her," grimaced Jane. "You'll break the spell. We've had +absolute peace and rest since her last uprising. I wonder if she ever +found her ring?" + +"I don't believe so. A girl told me not long ago that she saw Marian +take the notice from the bulletin board and tear it up. She overheard +her say that she might just as well have not posted it, for all the good +it had done. That she had hoped that the reward she offered might count. +But evidently it hadn't. Now what did she mean by that?" + +"Nothing or everything," shrugged Jane, and again turned her attention +to her list of names. + +"More likely everything," Judith declared uncharitably. "She probably +meant something dark and insinuating. I guess that the only person who +could earn the reward would be herself. I can just imagine her +returning the ring to herself and paying herself twenty-five dollars +reward." + +Judith chuckled as she mentally visioned Marian Seaton graciously +bestowing a reward upon herself. + +Jane smiled a little, also, but made no comment. Engaged in the +delightful occupation of planning pleasure for her friends, she did not +wish the subject of Marian Seaton to intrude upon it. + +"I don't have to worry about my present-buying this year," she presently +remarked. "Aunt Mary will buy everything for me that I need. All I have +to do is to send her a list of the presents I'm going to give and she +will shop for me." + +"It was splendid in your father and your aunt to come to New York for +the holidays," approved Judith warmly. + +"They both knew how disappointed I was last year because I couldn't go +home for Christmas," Jane answered. "They are doing this for my special +benefit. I surely appreciate it, for Dad loathes the East, and Aunt Mary +hates railway traveling. I'm awfully sorry that neither you nor Dorothy +can be with us. We'd love to have you, but I know that you want to be +with your father, and Dorothy, of course, wants to be at home with her +folks." + +"Yes, Father wants me at home this year. I'm glad we are to have the +full three weeks' vacation. I don't imagine that twelve days business +last year worked very well. The girls made such a fuss about it, and a +lot of them came back late. I'm going to ask my aunt to give a house +party for me at Easter. Then I'll invite all our crowd and we'll have a +great old celebration. Christmas is a bad time for a college girl house +party. Everyone's anxious to be at home with her own people. Easter's +different." + +"Yes, that's true," nodded Jane. "What are you going to give our four +freshmen, Judy?" + +"Long white gloves; a pair apiece," was the prompt reply. "They have +none, I know, or they would have worn them at the freshman frolic." + +"That will be nice. I know what I'd like to give them. I believe they'd +be pleased, too." + +"What?" Judith eyed Jane interestedly. + +"Furs. Not the most expensive, of course. I wouldn't care to overwhelm +them. I thought of black fox muffs and scarfs for Kathie and Freda, and +gray squirrel for Ida and Marie. None of them have furs. I have four or +five sets and a fur coat, too. I feel selfish to have so much, when +they have nothing." + +"That's perfectly sweet in you, Jane," lauded Judith. "You're always a +generous old dear, though." + +"Why shouldn't I be generous?" demanded Jane. "Dad wants me to be. He +never cares how much money I spend, but he likes to have me think about +others. He's a great old giver himself. He says that the only way to +take the curse off of having a lot of money is to use it in helping to +make the other fellow happy. I wish I could take time to tell you all +the kind things he's done with his money. It seems as though the more he +gives the more he has." + +"If everyone who had money were like him we'd have an ideal world, I +guess," declared Judith. "I have quite a lot of money coming to me when +I'm twenty-one. I was named for my grandmother and she left it to me. +When I get it I shall try to do as much good with it as I can. I don't +want to be selfish. I'm afraid I think too much about my own pleasure, +though." + +Jane smiled at this rueful confession. Judith was generous to a fault. +She was always far happier in giving than in receiving. + +"You're not selfish, Judy," she assured. "We all think a good deal more +about our own fun than we should, perhaps. We spend lots of money on +spreads and dinners and treats. I've been thinking seriously about it +lately. After Christmas, I'm going to invite our crowd to our room some +evening and propose something that I believe we might agree to do. You +needn't ask me what it is, for I sha'n't tell you." + +"All right, don't," grinned Judith. "I've enough on my mind now to keep +me busy until after the holidays. I was never curious, even in my +infancy. If I was, I don't recall it. In fact, I don't remember much +about that particular period of my young life. I was born absent-minded, +you know, and have never outgrown it." + +"You've done pretty well this year," smiled Jane. "You haven't committed +a single crime, so far, along that line." + +"Shh!" Judith warned. "Praise is fatal. I'll surely do something now to +offset it. I'm on the verge. Only yesterday noon I laid my little +leather purse on my wash stand. After classes I met Mary Ashton on the +campus and invited her to go to the drugstore with me to have hot +chocolate. When I went to pay for it, I took my little silver soap dish +out of my coat pocket. I'd grabbed it up and stuffed it in there instead +of my purse. You can imagine how silly I felt! Mary had to pay for our +chocolate. So I know that I'm on the verge. This Christmas rush has gone +to my head. I'm going to make you censor every last package I send. I'm +not to be trusted," Judith ended with a deep sigh. + +"I'll keep my eye on you," promised Jane, much amused at the affair of +the soap dish. + +"Thank you; thank you!" Judith responded with exaggerated gratitude. +"Now I must leave you. I promised Mrs. Weatherbee to go to her room +before dinner. She just finished a perfectly darling white silk sweater +she's been knitting for her niece. It has a pale blue collar and it's a +dream. She wants to try it on me. I am about the same build as her +niece." + +With this Judith departed, leaving Jane in rapt contemplation of her +Christmas list. She was well satisfied with the selection of gifts she +purposed to lay on the altar of friendship. She hoped she had forgotten +no one. She decided to write at once to her Aunt Mary, who was already +in New York, and enclose a list of the articles she wished her aunt to +purchase for her. + +Judith presently returned to dwell animatedly on the beauties of the +silk sweater. + +"It's the sweetest thing ever," she glowed. "It's awfully becoming to +me. It's all finished and after dinner I'm going to take it out to mail +for Mrs. Weatherbee. I told her I didn't know whether I could be trusted +with it or not. I might run away with it." + +"Are you going to take it to the postoffice?" asked Jane. "If you are I +have a letter I wish you'd mail there for me. I'd go with you but I have +a frightfully long translation in French prose for to-morrow. I can't +spare the time." + +"Oh, I'm only going as far as the package box at the east end of the +campus. Mrs. Weatherbee's going to weigh and stamp the package here and +send it special delivery instead of registering it." + +"Then you can drop my letter in the post box. That is, if I finish it +before the dinner gong rings." + +Glancing up at the clock, which showed a quarter to six, Jane hastily +resumed her writing. The gong sounding before the letter was completed, +Judith obligingly volunteered to "hang around" after dinner until it was +ready for mailing. + +"Now don't put this letter in your coat pocket, Judy," cautioned Jane, +when half an hour after dinner she delivered it into Judith's keeping. +"If you do, you'll forget it, mail the package and come marching back +to the Hall with my letter still in your pocket. I'm anxious for it to +be collected to-night; then Aunt Mary will get it some time to-morrow." + +"I'll mail it. Don't you worry," Judith assured. "I'll carry it in my +hand every step of the way. It's raining. Did you know it? I hope it +will turn to snow by to-morrow. I like the weather good and cold around +Christmas time." + +"Oh, well, it's over a week until Christmas. We'll probably have plenty +of snow by then," Jane commented. "Better take your umbrella." + +"Never!" refused Judith. "One package and a letter are about as much as +I can safely carry at a time. I might jam the umbrella into the package +box and come home with Mrs. Weatherbee's package held over my head. Let +well enough alone, Jane. I'll wear my raincoat and run for it." + +Slipping on her raincoat and pulling a fur cap over her head, Judith +took the letter and started off, stopping in the matron's room for the +package she had offered to mail. + +"Whew!" was her salutation on reappearing in her room perhaps twenty +minutes later. "Maybe it isn't raining, though, and it's as dark as can +be. I put your letter and the package under my coat and made a mad dash +for the mail box. Got rid of them both in a hurry, and made a still +madder dash back home. Another time, I'll consult the weather before I +offer my noble services as runner. Any way, your letter is on its way. +So is the sweater, and the girl who gets it is lucky." + +"I'm ever so much obliged to you, Judy. I hope Aunt Mary sends my stuff +right away, so that I'll have it on hand to give before I go to New +York. It won't take more than two days to buy it. Allowing three for it +to arrive, I'll have it in good season, I guess." + +The next few days were fraught with considerable anxiety for Jane, until +the arrival of numerous huge express packages, set her doubts at rest. +Then a busy season of wrapping and beribboning gifts ensued. The blessed +fever of giving was abroad at Wellington and the cheerful bustle and +stir of Christmas pervaded every nook and corner of college. + +Two evenings before Christmas, Jane and Judith invited their particular +chums to their room for a good-bye spread. The party spent a jubilant +evening, feasting and exchanging gifts and good wishes. On the next day, +Jane and Judith bade each other an affectionate farewell and departed +for their respective destinations. + +Adrienne and Norma accompanied Jane to New York, there to spend the +holidays with the Duprees. Adrienne's distinguished mother was filling a +long engagement at a theater there, and the Duprees had opened their +home in New York for the time being. Norma expected to fill a two-weeks' +engagement in a stock company, obtained for her by Mr. Dupree, and was +to be the guest of the kindly Frenchman and his little family. + +The three girls were delighted at this state of affairs, as Jane looked +forward to meeting the Duprees and Adrienne was equally eager to know +Jane's father and aunt. In consequence, the trio had made countless +holiday plans which they purposed to carry out. + +All in all, it was a red-letter three weeks for the three Wellington +girls. Jane found New York a vastly different city when peopled by those +dear to her. During her brief shopping trip there the previous winter +she had not liked New York. Now she discovered that it was a most +wonderful place in which to spend a holiday. + +In spite of the constant round of theaters, dinners, luncheons and +sight-seeing into which she was whirled, she took time to look sharply +about her for those to whom Christmas meant only a name. Accompanied by +Mrs. Dupree, she and Adrienne made several visits to poverty-stricken +sections of the great city, leaving substantial good cheer behind them. + +She also discovered a special protege in a meek-faced young girl who +occupied the position of public stenographer in the hotel where the +Allens were staying. Dressed in deep mourning, the girl at once enlisted +Jane's sympathy. She promptly made her acquaintance and the two girls +became instantly friendly. It needed but the information that Eleanor +Lane had recently, lost her mother to strengthen the bond of +acquaintance to actual friendship. + +Democratic Henry Allen and his sister quite approved of Jane's interest +in the lonely little stranger, and Eleanor was invited frequently to +dine or lunch with them. + +"It seems odd," she said to Jane one afternoon near the end of the +blissful holiday as Jane lingered beside her desk, "but your name has +sounded familiar to me from the first. I've heard it before but I can't +think when or where. I only know it's familiar. It bothers me not to be +able to place it." + +"It's awfully aggravating to have a dim recollection of something and +not be able to make it come clear," Jane agreed. "My name isn't an +uncommon one. There may be dozens of Jane Allens in the world, for all I +know." + +"Yes, there may be. I hear and see so many names, I wonder that I can +ever keep any of them straight in my mind," smiled Eleanor. "Perhaps it +will come to me all of a sudden some day. If it does, I'll write you +about it." + +"Yes, do. You know we are going to correspond. When I come to New York +again I shall surely look you up," declared Jane. "And you must come and +spend a week-end with me at Wellington." + +Girl-fashion, the two had advanced to the "visiting" stage of +friendship. Sad little Eleanor regarded Jane as a bright and wonderful +star that had suddenly dawned upon her gray horizon. + +Jane liked Eleanor for her sweet amiability and pleasant, unassuming +manner. She also admired her intensely, because Eleanor was actually +engaged in successfully earning her own living. This, in itself, seemed +quite marvelous to Jane, who had never earned a penny in her life. + +"Girls are really wonderful, after all, Dad," she confided to her +father, as the two sat side by side on a big leather davenport in the +sitting room of the Allens' private suite, indulging in a confidential +talk. + +It was the last night of Jane's stay in New York. The next day would +find her saying fond farewells to her father and aunt. They intended to +remain in New York for a few days after Jane's departure for Wellington +College, then make a brief tour of the larger eastern cities before +returning to the West. + +"It seems queer to me now that I used to dislike them so much," Jane +continued, shaking a deprecating head at her former adverse opinion of +girls in general. "I wouldn't know what to do now without my girl +friends. I seem to be making new ones all the time, too. There's +Eleanor, for instance. I've grown ever so fond of her. I think it would +be fine to have her make me a visit next summer. She never goes anywhere +in particular. She just works hard all the time. Dorothy thinks she +can't come to Capitan until August, so I could have Eleanor there in +July." + +"Invite whom you please, Janie. The more the merrier. All I want is to +see my girl happy," was the affectionate response. + +"And I _am_ happy, Dad," Jane ardently assured. "You and Aunt Mary have +given me the finest Christmas I could possibly have. I'll go back to +Wellington feeling as if I owned the earth. After such a glorious +vacation as this has been, I'll have every reason in the world to be a +good pioneer. I'll re-tackle my bit of college land for all I'm worth, +and improve it as much as I can through the rest of my sophomore year. +It looks a lot better already than it did last year." + +Jane spoke with the glowing enthusiasm of perfect happiness. The joy of +Christmas had temporarily driven from her mind even the vexatious memory +of Marian Seaton and her petty spite. + +Quite the contrary, Christmas had not reduced Marian to any such +beatific state. She accepted it as a mere matter of course, and spent it +in Buffalo, as the guest of Maizie Gilbert. Privately, she wished it +over and done with. For once, she was impatient to return to Wellington, +there to further a certain enterprise of her own from which she expected +to gain decided results. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE LISTENER + + +Returned to Wellington, Jane and Judith both agreed that in spite of +their holiday fun, each had missed the other dreadfully. They had plenty +to talk about and much to show each other in the way of beautiful gifts +which had fallen to their lot. + +Judith was jubilant over the acquisition of a knitted white silk +sweater, which she assured Jane was an exact counterpart of the one Mrs. +Weatherbee had knitted for her niece. + +"My Aunt Jennie made it for me," she explained, as she proudly exhibited +it to Jane. "I bought the silk and she did the work. I told her about +the one Mrs. Weatherbee made for her niece and dandy Aunt Jennie offered +to knit one for me like it. Wasn't that nice in her? I'm going to show +it to the girls and then put it away until Spring. It will be sweet +with a white wash satin skirt. I'm going to have some made just to wear +with it. Let's give a spread, Jane, to the crowd. Then we can show them +our Christmas presents. It will give you a chance, too, to get that +great secret idea of yours off your mind. You see I haven't forgotten +about it." + +Jane smilingly agreed that it would be a good opportunity and the spread +was accordingly planned for the next evening. Christine, Barbara, +Dorothy, Norma, Alicia, Adrienne, Ethel and Mary Ashton were the chosen +few to be invited. + +It was not until the little feast provided by Judith and Jane had been +eaten and the ten girls still sat about the makeshift banqueting board, +that Jane, urged by Judith to "Speak up, Janie," began rather +diffidently to speak of her cherished new idea. + +"I don't know whether you'll agree with me or not," she said. "If you +don't, please say so frankly, because if we should decide to do what I'm +going to propose we'll all have to be united in thinking it a good idea. + +"It's like this," she continued. "We all spend a good deal of money on +luncheons and dinners and spreads. We feel, of course, that we have a +perfect right to do as we please with our allowance checks. So we have. +Still, when one stops to think about quite a number of girls at +Wellington who are straining every nerve to put themselves through +college, it seems a little bit selfish to spend so much on one's own +pleasures. + +"Suppose we agreed to give only two spreads a month. There are ten of us +here. We could each put a dollar a month into a common fund. That would +give us ten dollars to spend on the two spreads, five dollars on each. +During the month we'd see how much of our allowances we could save. +Whatever we had left at the end of the month would go into the common +fund. No one of us would be obliged to give any particular sum. Whatever +we gave would be a good-will offering. One of us would be treasurer. +We'd buy a toy-bank and the treasurer would take charge of it. Whenever +one of us wanted to give something we'd go to her and drop the money in +the bank. Not even she would know what we gave. The first of every new +month she'd take the money out, count it and put it in the Chesterford +Trust company for us." + +"But suppose we save quite a lot, what would we do with it?" asked +Barbara Tennant. "We wouldn't need it for ourselves. We'd have to----" + +"That's what I'm coming to," interposed Jane. "We'd start a fund to help +the poorer Wellington students along. There is no College Aid Society +here. I don't know why none has ever been organized. I suppose there +haven't been so very many poor girls at Wellington. Until three years +ago there were no scholarships offered. There are only two now. There +will be three soon. My father has promised me that." + +Jane's lips curved in a tender little smile, as she quietly made this +announcement. There was no hint of boastful pride in her tones; nothing +save becoming modesty and deep sincerity. + +"This money we collected would be open to any student to draw upon who +made requisition for it," she explained. + +"But would the girls who need it ask for it?" questioned Norma. "You see +I know how it feels to be very, very poor. If I hadn't found such a +splendid way to earn my tuition fees and board, I'm afraid I could never +bring myself to ask for help in that way. It would seem like begging." + +"Oh, we'd loan the money; not give it," promptly assured Jane. "We'd +loan it without interest, to be repaid at convenience. You know the +'Beatrice Horton' books. Well, in those stories the girls at Exley +College started such a fund. They gave entertainments and shows to help +it along. Then they received money contributions from interested +persons, too. + +"I don't know whether we'd ever do as they did. I like the idea of the +self-denial gifts from just the crowd of us. We could let the money pile +up this year and if we had enough by next October we could start our +Student's Aid Fund." + +"We could keep up the good work during our vacations, too," +enthusiastically suggested Mary Ashton. "A little self-denial then +wouldn't hurt us, I guess, I think it would be fun for each of us to +pledge ourselves to earn at least ten dollars this summer to put into +the fund. Norma and Adrienne are the only ones of us here who ever +earned a dollar. Dispute that if you can." + +"I dispute it," grinned Judith. "My father once gave me a silver dollar +for keeping quiet a whole hour. I was only five at the time I earned +that fabulous sum." + +"I've earned lots of dollars for churches and hospitals at bazaars," +declared Christine. "I suppose most of us have. But that's not like +earning money for ourselves." + +"Well, everybody here is going to earn _ten_ dollars this coming +summer," stated Judith positively. "It would be still more fun if we +each agreed to write a poem telling how we earned our ten dollars. We'd +have a grand reunion as soon as we were all back in college and each of +us would read her own poetic gem right out loud, so that we could all +appreciate it." + +Judith's proposal was greeted with laughter and accepted on the spot. +The girls were no less enthusiastic over Jane's worthy plan and each +expressed herself as ready and willing to do her bit toward furthering +its success. Before the ten-thirty bell drove the revelers from the +scene of revelry, Adrienne had been appointed to act as treasurer. Jane +had been unanimously chosen, but declined, suggesting Adrienne in her +stead. + +Thus from one girl's generous thought was presently to spring an +organization that would grow, thrive and endure long after Jane Allen +had been graduated from Wellington College to a wider field in life. + +That evening's jollification was the last for the participants until +fateful mid-year, with its burden of examinations should come and go. +The nearer it approached the more devoted became the Wellingtonites to +study. Even basket-ball practice fell off considerably. The second game +between the freshmen and sophomore teams was set for the third Saturday +in February. This meant ample time for practice after the dreaded +examinations were out of the way. + +On the whole January seemed fated to pass out in uneventful placidity so +far as Jane and Judith were concerned. Elsie Noble continued to glower +her silent disapproval of her tablemates three times a day, but that was +all. Since the disastrous failure of the scheme to leave Jane, Judith +and Adrienne in the lurch at the freshman frolic, she had made no +further attempts at unworthy retaliation for her supposed grievances. + +Marian Seaton also appeared to be too fully occupied with her own +affairs to undertake the launching of a new offensive against the girls +she so greatly disliked. In fact, she behaved as though she had +forgotten their very existence. For this they were duly grateful. + +Only one incident occurred during the month which brought Marian's name +up for discussion between Judith and Jane. + +Judith arrived in her room late one afternoon with the news that Maizie +Gilbert had lost a valuable sapphire and diamond pin. Notice of the loss +had appeared on the main bulletin board at Wellington Hall. It was +worded almost precisely as had been the notice previously posted by +Marian regarding the loss of her diamond ring. + +Judith again confided to Jane her sturdy disbelief concerning Maizie's +loss. As in the case of Marian, she attributed it as a silly +determination to attract undue attention. Jane frowned reflectively at +Judith's supposition, but refused to commit herself. + +"I don't want to talk or even think about either Marian or Maizie," she +said shortly. "I've been living in perfect peace since Christmas and I +hate to break the spell. I'm trying to keep my mind on study just now. +Are you aware, Judy Stearns, that exams begin to-morrow?" + +"I am. I am prepared--in a measure. Ahem!" Judith snickered, adding: "A +very small measure." + +"Are you going to study to-night?" Jane demanded. "If you're not, then +away with you. I'm going to be fearfully, terribly, horribly busy. Don't +interrupt me. That means you. Alicia is coming in after dinner to-night. +We are going to conduct a review." + +"All right, conduct it," graciously sanctioned Judith. "I'm not going to +study to-night. I never do the last evening before exams. I just try to +keep what I already know in my head and let it go at that. Guess I'll +inflict my charming self upon Adrienne and Ethel. They're not going to +study, either." + +"Do so; do so," approved Jane with smiling alacrity. "I'm sure they'll +love to have you." + +"Certainly they will. I am always welcome everywhere--except _here_, on +the dread eve of the stupendous ordeal which we shall presently be +called upon to endure." + +Judith struck an attitude and continued to declaim dramatically. + +"Who am I that I should desire for a moment to remain where I am not +desired. I will flee to the welcome haunt of my true friends. We'll make +merry and make fudge at the same time. And I sha'n't bring you a single +speck of squdgy, fudgy fudge," she ended in practical tones. + +"I can live without it," informed Jane drily. "Be as merry as you +please, but be quiet about it. Remember, a lot of girls will be trying +to study." + +"Oh, we won't get ourselves disliked," airily assured Judith. "We'll be +as quiet as can be. We know how to behave during such times of stress." + +Jane merely smiled. Judith and Adrienne together meant much hilarity. + +Dinner over, Alicia appeared to hold student vigil with Jane. Judith as +promptly betook herself to Adrienne's room for an evening's relaxation. +There she found Norma, who had also elected to eschew study for fudge. + +It may be said to the quartette's credit that, though hilarity reigned +during the fudge making, it was of a subdued order. When the delicious +concoction of chocolate and walnut meats was at last ready for sampling, +the four girls sat down to eat and talk to their hearts' content. + +The conversation drifting to the all-important subject of dress, +Adrienne exclaimed in sudden recollection: + +"Ah, Judy, but I must show you the sweet frock which I have this day +received from _ma mere_. It is, of a truth, the dream. But wait one +moment! You shall thus see for yourself." + +Springing up from her chair, the little girl darted to a curtained +doorway, the entrance to a roomy closet, containing her own and Ethel's +gowns. + +It was at least five minutes when she reappeared, minus the new gown, an +angry light in her big, black eyes. + +"What's the matter, Imp?" questioned Ethel concernedly. + +For answer, Adrienne laid a warning finger to her lips with a mysterious +wag of her curly head toward the curtained doorway. + +Her finger still on her lips, she picked up a pencil from the writing +table and scribbled industriously for a moment or two on a pad of paper. +Silently she handed the pad to Judith, who read it, opened her eyes very +wide and passed the pad to Ethel. Ethel, in turn, handed it to Norma. + +Suddenly Adrienne broke the silence; speaking in purposely loud tones. + +"I have the great secret to tell you, girls. It is of a certainty most +amazing. Wait until I return. I shall be absent from the room but a +moment. Then you shall hear much that is interesting." + +Flashing to the door, she paused, frantically beckoning her friends to +follow her. Next instant the four had made a noiseless exit into the +hall and were grouped before the door of the next room. + +Very cautiously, Adrienne's small fingers sought the door knob and +turned it. Slowly, soundlessly, she opened the door and stepped +cat-footed into the room. A little line of three, emulating her +stealthy movement, tip-toed after her into a room empty of occupants. + +Straight to a curtained doorway Adrienne flitted, followed by her +faithful shadows. Sweeping the chintz curtain aside with a lightning +movement of her hand, she paused. + +Looking over her shoulder, three girls saw a motionless figure lying +flat on the closet floor. In that fraction of a second the figure +suddenly acquired motion and speech. A scramble, an appalled "Oh!" and a +very angry and thoroughly frightened girl was on her feet, confronting +Adrienne. Her companions had now fallen back a little from the doorway. +The listener now made a futile attempt at composure. + +"What--why----" she gasped. + +"Come out of this closet, dishonorable one," commanded Adrienne sternly. +"Ah, but it is I who had the luck to discover you in the act of +listening. Had you not too hastily shut the register when you heard me +enter the closet on the other side, I should never have guessed. Come +out instantly." + +The imperious repetition of the command served its purpose. Adrienne +backed out of the closet into the room, followed by Elsie Noble. The +latter's small black eyes refused to meet those of her accuser. The +blazing red of her cheeks betrayed her utter humiliation. + +For a brief instant no one spoke. Then Elsie recovered speech. + +"Get out--of--my--room, you--spies!" she stammered in a furious, +rage-choked voice. + +"Ah, but it is you who are the great spy!" scornfully exclaimed +Adrienne. "There is no longer the mystery. So you must have listened +often to Ethel and myself as we privately talked. Have you then no shame +to be thus so small--so contemptible?" + +"No, I haven't. I----" + +Elsie's attempt to brazen things out ended almost as soon as it began. +Her guilty, shifting gaze had come to rest on Norma's grave, sweet face. +It wore an expression of wondering pity. Elsie turned and bolted +straight for her couch bed. She threw herself downward upon it, beating +the pillows with her clenched fists, in a fury of tempestuous chagrin. + +"I think we'd best go, girls." It was Norma who spoke. "Alicia will soon +be in. I don't believe we'd care to have even her know about this. +Perhaps it would be just as well for us to forget that it's happened." + +This charitable view of the matter brought Elsie's head from the pillow +with a jerk. She sat up and stared hard at Norma, as if unable to credit +the latter's plea for clemency in her behalf. + +"I am satisfied to have thus solved a mystery. Now I wish to forget it." +Adrienne made a sweeping gesture, as though to blot out the disagreeable +incident with a wave of her hand. + +"It certainly wouldn't be a pleasant memory," dryly agreed Judith. +"Anyhow, we know now something we've wanted to know for a long time. +That's about all that one feels like saying, except that one hopes it +won't happen again." + +"I guess it won't. Let's go, girls," was all that Ethel said. + +Without another word the quartette turned to the door, leaving Elsie to +her own dark meditations. She could hardly believe that she had thus +easily escaped. It appeared that these girls whom she had been so sure +she despised, had no mind for retaliation. They were simply disgusted +with her. For the first time, a dim realization of her own unworthiness +forced itself upon Elsie. + +It was not strong enough to impel her to run after those who had just +disappeared and apologize for her fault. Nevertheless, Adrienne's +accusing question, "Have you then no shame to be thus so small; so +contemptible?" rang in her ears. It dawned painfully upon her that she +_was_ ashamed of herself. More, that she was done with eavesdropping for +good and all. + +Early in the year she had stumbled upon the discovery that the register +in the dress closet could be efficiently used as a listening post. Its +position, low in the wall between the two closets, made it possible for +her to hear plainly the conversation of those in the next room when both +sides of the register stood open. This state of matters had existed when +first she made the discovery. More, the side opening into the dress +closet belonging to Adrienne and Ethel had remained open. + +This proved conclusively to Elsie that she was alone in her discovery. +Fearful lest Alicia should note the sound of voices proceeding from the +next room, she had been careful to keep the register closed whenever +Alicia was present in their room. At times when the latter was absent, +Elsie had noiselessly opened it and taken up her position in the closet +as an eavesdropper. Now she began miserably to wish that she had never +done it. + +Meanwhile, Adrienne's first move on re-entering her room was to dash +into the adjoining closet and close the treacherous register with an +energetic hand. To block further listening, she promptly stowed a +suitcase on end against it. + +"_Voila!_ I have now remedied the trouble," she announced, as she +emerged from the closet. "We shall not need that register to give the +heat to us. I have closed it and placed against it the suitcase. Strange +we never before noticed." + +"Better late than never," commented Judith. "Funny the way our little +mystery was solved, wasn't it?" + +"I should never have known, had she not made the noise in closing the +register on her side," explained Adrienne. "I had but bent over to lift +the box containing my new gown when I noticed the register, heard the +sound and, of a sudden, grew suspicious. I recalled that it could not be +Alicia. So I was most determined to know if my suspicion was the idle +one. It was not. You saw for yourselves. It was all most disagreeable. I +had the feeling of shame myself to thus discover this girl listening." + +"So had I," echoed Ethel. + +"It _was_ rather horrid," declared Judith. "Maybe it will teach her a +much-needed lesson. The ignoble Noble is a splendid name for her. I'm +proud of myself for having thought of it." + +"I think she was really ashamed of herself," Norma said quietly. "I +couldn't help feeling a little bit sorry for her. She pretended to be +very defiant, when all the time she looked humiliated and miserable. I +believe she was truly sorry, but couldn't bring herself to say so." + +"She will too soon forget," shrugged Adrienne. "A few minutes with her +cousin, that most detestable Seaton one, and her regrets will vanish. +Once you said, Judy, that we should solve our little mystery when we +least thought. So you are indeed the prophet. We can expect no gratitude +from this girl, because we have thus overlooked her fault. Still, I have +the feeling that she will trouble us no more. _Voila!_ It is +sufficient." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE ACCUSATION + + +Adrienne's prediction that a few moments with Marian Seaton would +effectually banish Elsie Noble's remorse, provided she felt remorse, +proved not altogether correct. The beginning on next day of the mid-year +examinations served as a partial escape valve for Elsie's feeling of +deep humiliation. + +By the end of the week she was divided between remorse and resentment. +The latter over-swaying her, she fell back on Marian for sympathy. +Marian's sympathy was not specially satisfying. She actually laughed +over Elsie's aggrieved narration of the affair of the dress closet, and +coolly informed her cousin that she should have locked _her_ door before +attempting any such maneuver. + +The only grain of consolation which she bestowed was, "You needn't feel +so bad about what those sillies think of you. They'll have something +more serious to think about before long. It's high time Maiz and I took +a hand in things." + +"What are you going to do?" Elsie sulkily demanded. + +"You'll know when the time comes," was the brusque reply. + +A reply that sent Elsie back to her room, sullenly wondering what Marian +was "up to" now. Strangely enough, Marian's vague threat awoke within +her a curious sense of uneasiness. She was not so keen for retaliation +now. She darkly surmised that Marian intended somehow to make trouble +for Judith Stearns and Norma about the last year's affair of the stolen +gown. Once she had been ready to believe Marian's assertion that Judith +had been guilty of theft. She was not nearly so ready now to believe it. + +As for Norma! Elsie could still see Norma's sweet face, with its gentle +blue eyes pityingly bent on her. Marian might say all she pleased. Norma +Bennett was fine and honest to the core. She had always secretly admired +Norma for her wonderful talent. Now she admired Norma for herself. If +Marian undertook to injure Norma----Elsie set her thin lips in a +fashion denoting decision. + +Mid-year came and went, however, with nothing to disturb the outward +serenity of Madison Hall. A brief season of jubilation followed the +trial of examinations. The new college term began with the usual flurry +accompanying the rearranging of recitation programs and getting settled +in classes. Basket-ball ardor was revived and practice resumed by the +freshman and sophomore teams, pending the second game to be played on +the third Saturday in February. + +On the Monday evening before the game, Marian Seaton and Maizie Gilbert +held a private session with Mrs. Weatherbee. It lasted for half an hour +and when the two girls emerged from the matron's office, they left +behind them a most shocked and perplexed woman. The story which they had +related to her would have seemed preposterous, save that it touched upon +a private matter of her own that had of late vaguely annoyed her. + +For some time after the two had left her office, she wrestled with the +difficulty which confronted her. Nor had she decided upon a course of +action when she retired that night. For two days she continued in doubt, +before she was able to make up her mind regarding the handling of the +troublesome problem. + +After dinner on Wednesday evening she sent the maid upstairs with +certain instructions and promptly retired to her room. + +"Mrs. Weatherbee wants to see us in _her room_?" marveled Judith, +addressing Molly, the maid who had delivered the message. "Are you sure +she said her _room_?" + +"Yes, Miss Judith. That's what she said," returned Molly positively. +"She said please come right away." + +"That means us." Judith turned to Jane as Molly vanished. "Now why do +you suppose she wants to see us in her room? She must have something +very private to say or she'd talk with us in her office." + +"I don't like it at all!" Jane exclaimed with knitted brows. +"Something's gone wrong. But what? Can you think of any reason for it?" + +"No, I can't. We haven't committed any horrible crimes that I can +recall," returned Judith lightly. "Come on. We might as well go and find +out the meaning of this thusness. We should worry. We haven't done +anything to deserve a call-down." + +One look at Mrs. Weatherbee's grave face as she admitted them to her +room convinced both that something disagreeable was impending. + +"Sit down, girls," the matron invited, in her usual reserved fashion. "I +have sent for Miss Bennett. She will be here in a moment." + +This merely added to Jane's and Judith's perplexity. Jane shot a +bewildered glance toward Judith, as the two silently seated themselves. +Directly a light rapping at the door announced Norma's arrival. She was +also formally greeted and requested to take a seat. + +For a moment the matron surveyed the trio as though undetermined how to +address them. When she finally spoke, there was a note of hesitation in +her voice. + +"A very peculiar story has been told me," she said, "which intimately +concerns you three girls, particularly Miss Stearns. Much as I dislike +the idea, I am obliged, as matron of Madison Hall, to investigate it. + +"Certain students at the Hall have made very serious charges against +you, Miss Stearns. These charges are partially based on something that +occurred here last year, of which I had no knowledge. I----" + +"_Mrs. Weatherbee!_ I insist on knowing at once what these charges +are!" + +Judith was on her feet, her usually good-natured face dark with +righteous indignation. + +"Sit down, Miss Stearns," commanded the matron not ungently. "I intend +to go into this unpleasant matter fully with you. A valuable diamond +ring belonging to Miss Seaton and a diamond and sapphire pin belonging +to Miss Gilbert have disappeared. Though 'Lost' notices were posted +regarding these articles, their owners have come to me stating their +private belief that you are responsible for their disappearance." + +"But surely you can't believe any such thing about me!" Judith cried out +in distress. "Do you realize that those two girls actually accuse _me_ +of being a _thief_?" + +"Wait a moment, please." The matron raised a protesting hand. "Let me +finish what I wished to say. Miss Seaton does not believe you guilty of +intentional theft. She accused you of being a kleptomaniac. She also +accuses Miss Allen and Miss Bennett of knowing it and aiding you in +keeping your failing a secret." + +"What?" almost shouted Judith. + +"Oh, this is too much!" It was Jane who now sprang furiously up from her +chair, her gray eyes flashing. "I won't endure it. I insist, Mrs. +Weatherbee, that you send for these girls and let us face them." + +"Yes, send for them! I won't leave this room until Marian Seaton takes +back every single thing she's said about me," was Judith's wrathful +ultimatum. + +"I was about to suggest when you and Miss Allen interrupted me that I +had thought it advisable to bring you girls together. Still, I deemed it +only fair to let you understand the situation beforehand," stated the +matron rather stiffly. "I have already sent Miss Seaton and Miss Gilbert +word to come here at eight o'clock. It lacks only five minutes of eight. +They will be here directly. We will not go further in this matter until +they come. You will oblige me by resuming your chairs." + +Mrs. Weatherbee's expression was that of a martyr. She was in for a very +disagreeable session and she knew it. Marian's accusation against Judith +made necessary an investigation. It had come to a point where Judith's +honesty must be either conclusively proved or disproved beyond all +shadow of doubt. If Judith, as Marian boldly declared, were really a +kleptomaniac, she was a menace to Madison Hall. + +Ordinarily Mrs. Weatherbee would have been slow to believe such a +thing. The fact, however, that the silk sweater which she had intrusted +to Judith to mail had never reached its destination, had implanted +distrust in the matron's mind. To have recently learned that Judith had +been exhibiting to her girl friends a sweater that answered to the +description of the one she had knitted for her niece was decidedly in +line with her private suspicions. Neither had she forgotten Judith's +laughing assertion to the effect that she was not sure she could be +trusted not to run off with the sweater. + +Jane and Judith reluctantly reseating themselves, an embarrassing +silence fell. Each of the three girls was busy racking her brain to +recall the circumstance of last year upon which Marian Seaton had based +her charge. None could bring back any of that nature in which Marian had +figured. + +The sound of approaching footfalls, followed by a light knock at the +door, came as a relief to the waiting four. Next instant Marian and +Maizie had stepped into the room in response to the matron's "Come in." + +A bright flush sprang to Marian's cheeks as she glimpsed the trio of +stern-faced girls. She had not anticipated being thus so quickly +brought face to face with those she had maligned. Maizie appeared +merely sleepily amused. + +"Kindly be seated, girls." Mrs. Weatherbee motioned them to an +upholstered settee near the door. + +Casting a baleful glance at Jane, Marian complied with the terse +invitation. Maizie dropped lazily down beside her, her slow smile in +evidence. Matters promised to be interesting. + +"Miss Seaton," the matron immediately plunged into the business at hand, +"you may repeat to Miss Stearns, Miss Allen and Miss Bennett what you +have already told me concerning the affair of last year. Miss Stearns +has been informed of your charges against her. She wishes to defend +herself." + +"I certainly do," emphasized Judith, "and I shall make you take it all +back, too, Miss Seaton." + +"I'm sorry I can't oblige you by taking it all back," sneered Marian. "I +can merely repeat a little of a conversation that occurred between you +and Miss Allen in which you condemned yourself." + +"Very well, repeat it," challenged Judith coolly. + +As nearly as she could remember, Marian repeated the talk between Jane +and Judith, to which she had dishonorably listened on the night of the +freshman frolic. + +"You were heard to admit that you had stolen a gown from Edith Hammond," +she triumphantly accused. "That Edith blamed Miss Bennett and that she +confessed you had stolen it. Also that Miss Allen settled for it and you +all agreed to keep it a secret. Worse yet, you and Miss Allen only +laughed and joked about what you called 'your fatal failing.' Deny if +you can that you two had such a conversation." + +During this amazing recital the faces of at least three listeners had +registered a variety of expressions. Marian's spiteful challenge met +with unexpected results. Of a sudden the trio burst into uncontrolled +laughter. + +"Girls," rebuked Mrs. Weatherbee sharply, "this is hardly a time for +laughter. Miss Stearns, do you or do you not deny that you and Miss +Allen held the conversation Miss Seaton accuses you of holding?" + +"Of course we did," cheerfully answered Judith, her mirthful features +sobering. + +"Then you----" + +"_We_ were in the dressing room on the night of the freshman frolic when +it took place," broke in Jane. "May I ask where _you_ were, Miss +Seaton, when you overheard it?" + +Jane's gray eyes rested scornfully upon Marian as she flashed out her +question. + +"I--I wasn't anywhere," snapped Marian. "I--someone else overheard it." + +"Then 'someone else' should have taken pains to learn the truth before +spreading malicious untruth," tensely condemned Jane. + +Turning to the matron, she said bitterly: + +"Mrs. Weatherbee, this whole story is simply spite-work; nothing else. +When I have explained the true meaning of Judith's and my talk together +in the dressing-room, you will understand everything. Judith's fatal +failing is not kleptomania. It's merely absent-mindedness." + +Rapidly Jane narrated the incident of the missing white lace gown, +belonging to Edith Hammond, in which herself, Judith and Norma had +figured in the previous year. She finished with: + +"I shall ask you to write to Edith for corroboration of my story. I must +also insist on knowing the name of the girl who overheard our talk. She +must be told the facts. We cannot afford to allow such injurious gossip +to be circulated about any of us. Judith in particular. Further, it is +ridiculous even to connect her with the disappearance of Miss Seaton's +ring and Miss Gilbert's pin." + +"Oh, is it?" cried Marian in shrill anger, "Just let me tell you that +both the ring and the pin were stolen from our room. We posted a notice +and offered a reward, hoping to get them back without raising a +disturbance. It's easy enough for you to make up the silly tale you've +just told. I don't believe it. You're only trying to cover the real +truth by pretending that Miss Stearns is absent-minded. It's not hard to +see through your flimsy pretext." + +"That will do, Miss Seaton." Mrs. Weatherbee now took stern command of +the situation. "I have no reason to believe that Miss Allen has not +spoken the truth. This affair seems to consist largely of a +misunderstanding, coupled with a good deal of spite work. You will +oblige me by giving me the name of the girl who overheard the +conversation." + +Marian did not at once reply. Instead, she cast a hasty, inquiring +glance at Maizie. The latter answered it with a slight smile and a nod +of the head. + +"It was my cousin, Miss Noble, who overheard the conversation," she +reluctantly admitted. "She repeated it to me in confidence. She does +not wish to be brought into this affair. You will kindly leave her out +of it entirely." + +"Your dictation is unbecoming, Miss Seaton," coldly reproved the matron. +"I shall use my own judgment in this matter." + +"You are all excused," she continued, addressing the ill-assorted group. +"We will leave this matter as it stands for the present. When I have +decided what to do, I will send for you again. Until then, not a word +concerning it to anyone." + +Marian and Maizie rose with alacrity. They had no desire to prolong the +interview. It had not panned out to suit them. Jane's concise +explanation of the gown incident had practically turned a serious +offense into a laughable blunder. Mrs. Weatherbee undoubtedly believed +Jane. After listening to her, she had not asked either Norma or Judith a +single question. Instead, she had closed the discussion with a curtness +that was not reassuring to the plotters. + +"Elsie will have to help us out," were Marian's first words when she and +Maizie reached their room. "She'll be raving when I tell her. She'll +have to do it, though. If she doesn't, I'll threaten to tell all the +girls about the way that little French snip caught her listening at the +register." + +"You might as well have owned up that it was you who listened outside +the dressing-room," shrugged Maizie. "Then you could have passed the +whole thing off as a misunderstanding. That would have ended it. Now +we're both in for a fine lot of trouble." + +"Then why did you nod your head when I looked at you?" asked Marian +fiercely. + +"Oh, just to keep things going," drawled Maizie. "I like to see those +girls all fussed up about nothing. Besides, Weatherbee can't do anything +very serious about our part of it. She can say we are mischief-makers +and call us down and that's all. No one except ourselves knows the truth +about the ring and the pin. That's the only thing that could really get +us into trouble." + +"No one will ever know, either," declared Marian. "They're both in the +tray of my trunk. We'll take them home with us at Easter and leave them +there. That will be safest." + +"You certainly leaped before you looked, this time," chuckled Maizie. +"That gown business was funny." + +"Well, how was I to know? I heard Judy Stearns say she stole it," +retorted Marian testily. "The whole thing sounded suspicious enough to +hang our losses on. Just the same I shall keep on saying now that I +believe she stole our stuff. Mrs. Weatherbee needn't think she can make +me keep quiet. I have a perfect right to my own belief and I'll see to +it that others besides myself share it." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE STAR WITNESS + + +In Jane's and Judith's room a highly disgusted trio of girls held +session directly they had left Mrs. Weatherbee. Far from feeling utterly +crushed and humiliated by Marian's accusations, Judith was filled with +lofty disdain of Marian's far-fetched attempt to discredit her. + +"I suppose I ought to feel dreadfully cut up over being accused of +theft," she said, "but I can't. The whole business seems positively +unreal. Jane, do you believe it was the ignoble Noble who overheard us +talking that night?" + +"No; I think it was either Maizie or Marian," returned Jane positively. +"Didn't you see them exchange glances? Then Maizie nodded. They had +agreed to put the blame on Miss Noble." + +"I wonder if she had agreed to let them," remarked Norma. "I suppose she +had. Otherwise, Marian wouldn't have dared use her name." + +"_I_ wonder what Mrs. Weatherbee will do about it," emphasized Jane. +"There's more than weird unreality to it, Judy. You mustn't forget that +Marian has accused you of taking her ring and Maizie's pin. She hasn't +withdrawn that accusation. She won't withdraw it. I am very sure of +that." + +"Well, she needn't," retorted Judith. "We know how much it's worth. So +does Mrs. Weatherbee. You heard what she said about spite work. She's +very much displeased with Marian and Maizie. She'll probably send for us +to-morrow night and them, too. Then she'll lay down the law and order +the whole thing dropped. She must see herself how unjust it is. Your +explanation about Edith's dress was enough to show that. Just because +the pin and ring are missing is no sign that I should be accused of +their disappearance. Besides, they've been posted as 'Lost.' That clears +me, doesn't it?" + +"It ought to, but it doesn't," replied Jane soberly. "Marian and Maizie +will go on insinuating hateful things about you, even if they are +ordered to drop the matter. Then there's Miss Noble. She's on the outs +with us and on Marian's side. Unless we can do something ourselves to +make these girls drop the affair, they won't drop it." + +"If Mrs. Weatherbee can't stop them, we certainly can't," Judith +responded rather anxiously. "I guess, though, that she can. She's +awfully determined, you know. I'm going to put my faith in her and not +worry any more about it. I dare say if a thorough search were made of +Marian's and Maizie's room the lost jewelry would be found," she +predicted bitterly. + +"That's precisely my opinion," nodded Jane. "If it comes to it I shall +tell Mrs. Weatherbee so. I'd rather wait a little, though, to see how +things pan out. This is Wednesday. I hope it will be settled and off our +minds before Saturday. We'd hate to go into the game with the least bit +of shadow hanging over us." + +"Oh, I guess it will be settled before then." Nevertheless Judith looked +a trifle solemn. Despite her declaration that she did not intend to +worry, Jane's prediction had taken uncomfortable hold on her. + +"I think she ought to have settled it to-night," was Norma's blunt +opinion. "It wouldn't surprise me if she really wrote to Edith Hammond. +Mrs. Weatherbee's peculiar. I know, because I've worked for her. She +probably believes Jane, yet she's in doubt about something. I could +tell that by the way she acted." + +"You don't believe she suspects me of stealing those girls' jewelry, do +you?" questioned Judith in quick alarm. + +"I hardly think that," Norma said slowly. "I only know she's not quite +in sympathy with you, Judy. If she had been she wouldn't have hesitated +to settle things then and there." + +Norma's surmise was more accurate than not. Marian Seaton's sneering +assertion that alleged absent-mindedness on Judith's part cloaked a +grave failing had not been entirely lost on the matron. She could not +forget the missing sweater. Was it possible, she wondered, that there +might be truth in Marian's accusation? + +Privately she resolved to do three things before passing final judgment. +She would write to Edith for corroboration of the gown story. She would +make further inquiry, concerning Judith's absent-mindedness, of Dorothy +Martin. She would have a private talk with Elsie Noble. This last was +solely to determine whether Marian had spoken the truth in regard to +Elsie's having overheard the fateful conversation. She was as doubtful +of Marian as she was of poor Judith. + +Mrs. Weatherbee intended to delay making inquiry of either Dorothy or +Elsie until she had received a reply to a special delivery letter which +she had dispatched to Edith Allison, nee Edith Hammond. + +In the interim Judith had gone from hopefulness to anxiety and from +anxiety to nervousness. In consequence, she failed to play on Saturday +with her usual snap and vigor, and had not her teammates put forth an +extra effort, her unintentional lagging would have lost them the game. +As it was they won it by only two points. + +Completely disgusted with herself, Judith broke down in the +dressing-room and sobbed miserably. A proceeding which made Christine, +Barbara and Adrienne wonder what in the world had happened to upset +cheery, light-hearted Judy. + +Back in her room, Judith cried harder than ever. + +"I'm all upset," she wailed, her head on Jane's comforting shoulder. "I +don't see why Mrs. Weatherbee hasn't sent for us about that miserable +business. It's got on my nerves." + +"Never mind," soothed Jane. "If she doesn't let us know about it by +Monday afternoon, I'll go to her myself. If I knew positively that +Marian Seaton wrote the letter that nearly lost me my room, I'd tell +Mrs. Weatherbee. It would only be giving her what she deserves." + +Monday morning, however, brought Mrs. Weatherbee a letter from Edith +Hammond, over which she smiled, then looked uncompromisingly severe. Her +stern expression spelled trouble for someone. + +Meanwhile, on the same morning, Jane also received a letter which made +her catch her breath in sheer amazement. It was from Eleanor Lane and +stated: + + DEAR JANE: + + "I've remembered at last. Now I know why your name seemed so + familiar. Last fall a Miss Seaton was staying at the hotel with her + mother. She dictated a letter to me, the carbon copy of which I am + enclosing. She told me that she was having the letter typed for a + joke and asked me to sign it 'Jane Allen.' I knew that wasn't her + name, because I had heard a bell-boy page her several times and + knew who she was. She said that you were her cousin and that she + was only sending the letter for fun, that it wouldn't do you the + least bit of harm. + + "I didn't like her at all. She was very hateful and supercilious. + I thought at the time that the letter was a queer kind of joke, but + I'd never been to college so I wasn't in a position to criticize + it. Anyway, it wasn't my business, so I typed it and signed it as + she requested. That's where I saw your name. I thought I would send + you the letter and ask you if it was really a joke. I found it the + other day in going over my files and it worried me. I realized that + I had done a very foolish thing in signing it. I should have + refused to do so. + + "This is the second letter I've written since I last heard from + you, so hurry up and write me soon. With much love, + + "Ever your friend, + + "ELEANOR." + +The shadow of a smile flickered about Jane's lips as she unfolded the +sheet of paper enclosed in Eleanor's letter and glanced it over. As by +miracle the means of retaliation had been placed in her hands. + +She decided that she would wait only to see what the day might bring +forth. If by dinner time that evening Mrs. Weatherbee had made no sign, +she would go to the matron after dinner with a recital that went back +to the very beginning of her freshman year. She would tell everything. +Nothing should be omitted that would serve to show Marian Seaton to Mrs. +Weatherbee in her true colors. + +If, on the other hand, Mrs. Weatherbee sent for Judith, Norma and +herself that evening and exonerated Judith in the presence of her +enemies, Jane determined that she would not, even in that event, +withhold the story of Marian's long-continued persecution of herself and +her friends. Undoubtedly Marian and Maizie would be asked to leave +Madison Hall; perhaps college as well. Mrs. Weatherbee would be +sufficiently shocked and incensed to carry the affair higher. Jane hoped +that she would. She had reached a point where she had become merciless. + +While Jane was darkly considering her course of action, Mrs. Weatherbee +was finding Monday a most amazingly exciting day. The morning mail +brought her Edith's letter. Directly afterward she hailed Dorothy Martin +as the latter left the dining-room and marched Dorothy to her office for +a private talk. When it ended, Dorothy had missed her first recitation. +Mrs. Weatherbee, however, had learned a number of things, hitherto +unguessed by her. + +Shortly after luncheon a meek-eyed, plainly dressed little woman was +ushered into her office. In her mittened hands the stranger carried a +package. Sight of it caused the matron to stare. Her wonder grew as the +woman handed it to her. + +"If you please, ma'am," blurted forth the stranger, red with +embarrassment, "I hope you won't feel hard towards me. I know I oughtta +come to you before. My husband found this here package in a rubbish can. +He works for the town, collectin' rubbish. He found it jus' before +Christmas and brung it home t' me. + +"You c'n see for yourself how the name o' the party it was to go to had +been all run together, so's you can't read it. The package got wet, I +guess. But your name's plain enough up in the corner. I knowed I ought +ta brung it here first thing, but I--I--opened it. I knowed I hadn't +oughtta. Then I seen this pretty silk sack and I wanted it terrible. + +"I says to myself as how I was goin' to keep it. It wasn't my fault if +you throwed it into the rubbish can by mistake. My husband he said I +hadda right to it, 'cause findin' was keepin'. So I kep' it, but it made +me feel bad. I was brung up honest and I knowed it was the same as +stealin'. + +"But I wanted it terrible, jus' the same. I never see anything +han'somer, an' it looked swell on me. I put it on jus' once for a +minute. It didn't give me no pleasure, though. I felt jus' sneaky an' +mean. After that I put it away. Once in a while I took a look at it. +Then my little girl got a bad cold. She was awful sick. I forgot all +about the sack. She pretty near died. I sat up with her nights for quite +a while. When she got better I thought about the sack again, and knowed +that God had come down hard on me for bein' a thief. So I jus' got ready +an' brung it back. It ain't hurt a mite, an' I hope you won't make me no +trouble, 'cause I've had enough." + +Mrs. Weatherbee's feelings can be better imagined than described. The +return of the missing sweater at the critical moment was sufficiently +astounding, not to mention the pathetic little confession that +accompanied its return. She felt nothing save intense sympathy for her +humble caller. + +When the latter took her leave a few moments later, she went away wiping +her eyes. Far from making her any "trouble," Mrs. Weatherbee had treated +her with the utmost gentleness. The stately, white-haired woman with the +"proud face" had not only thanked her for returning the "sack," she had +asked for her humble caller's address and expressed her intention of +sending the little sick girl a cheer-up present. + +Left alone, Mrs. Weatherbee sat smiling rather absently at the dainty +blue and white bit of knitting which she had taken from its wrapper. She +thought she understood very well how it had happened to stray into the +rubbish can. She now recalled that the rubbish cans about Chesterford +and at the edge of the campus were much the shape and size of the +package boxes used by the postal service. Given a dark, rainy night and +an absent-minded messenger, the result was now easy to anticipate. Here +was proof piled high of Judith Stearns' "fatal failing." + +There was but one thing more to be done before winding-up summarily an +affair that had been to her vexatious from the beginning. She had +obtained plenty of evidence for the defense. Now she turned her +attention to the prosecution. She had yet to hold a private word with +Elsie Noble. This she resolved to do directly the freshman in question +had returned to the Hall from her afternoon classes. + +Elsie, on her part, had been looking forward to this very interview +with a degree of sullen satisfaction. On the day following the scene in +Mrs. Weatherbee's room, Marian had informed her cousin of all that had +taken place. As a result, Elsie had flown into a tempestuous rage over +having been dragged into the trouble by Marian. + +"You've got to do as I say, Elsie. If you don't, you'll be sorry," +Marian had coldly threatened. "Maiz and I will drop you. Besides, I'll +tell Mrs. Weatherbee all about that register business. Then she'll +believe you listened outside the dressing-room, no matter how much you +may deny it." + +"I'll do as I please," Elsie had furiously retorted, and flung herself +out of Marian's room. + +Not at all alarmed by her cousin's anger, Marian had confidently +remarked to Maizie: "Elsie doesn't dare go back on us. She'll do as I +tell her. She always fusses a lot, then gives in. She has no more time +for those three prigs than we have." + +For once she was mistaken. Elsie had changed, though she alone knew it. +Her secret admiration for Norma had paved the way to better things. She +now rebelled at the thought of facing this sweet, truthful-eyed girl +with a lie on her own lips. Marian's threat to expose her fault had +awakened her to a bitter knowledge of her cousin's unbounded malice. She +experienced a belated revulsion of feeling toward Judith Stearns. Jane +Allen's explanation of the gown incident, scornfully repeated to Elsie +by Marian, now stood for truth in Elsie's mind. + +Having gone thus far, Elsie next mentally weighed Marian's bolder +accusation against Judith concerning the missing jewelry. Face to face +with her cousin's utter lack of principle, for the first time it +occurred to her to wonder whether Marian might not know better than +anyone else the whereabouts of the missing pin and ring. She decided to +do a little private investigating of her own. + +When, at five o'clock on the fateful Monday afternoon, the maid brought +her word that Mrs. Weatherbee wished to see her, she went downstairs to +the matron's office, fully equipped for emergency. The recital which she +indignantly poured into the latter's shocked ears was the climax to an +eventful day for Mrs. Weatherbee. + +It may be said to Elsie's credit that she did not spare herself or even +attempt to palliate her own offenses. She made a frank confession of her +faults and expressed an honest and sincere contrition for them which +showed plainly that her feet were at last planted upon the solid ground +of right. She was no longer the "ignoble Noble." + +"After what I've told you, I know you won't allow me to live here at the +Hall any more," she said huskily. "I deserve to be punished. I'm going +to accept it, too, as bravely as I can. I've been doing wrong all year, +but at last I've come to my senses. I know that for once I'm doing right +and it comforts me a good deal." + +This straightforward avowal would have moved to compassion a far +harder-hearted woman than was Mrs. Weatherbee. The matron realized that +the dry-eyed, resolute-faced girl seated opposite her had been punished +sufficiently by her own conscience. + +"I shall _not_ ask you to leave Madison Hall, my dear child," she +assured very gently. "I wish you to stay on here because I am convinced +that would be best for you. In justice to others, however, I must ask +you to come to my room this evening, prepared to stand by me in whatever +I may require of you." + +"I thank you, Mrs. Weatherbee," Elsie said with deep earnestness. "I'll +be only too glad to stand by you. I'm going upstairs now to get my wraps +and I sha'n't be here to dinner to-night. I know Marian will be looking +for me as soon as she receives word from you to come to her room. It +will be best for me not to see her again until then. Don't you think +so?" + +"Under the circumstances, I should prefer that you hold no conversation +with her beforehand," agreed the matron. + +Thus ended the momentous interview. Woman and girl pledged their good +faith in a warm hand clasp, and Elsie left the office feeling like one +from whose shoulders a heavy burden had suddenly dropped. + + * * * * * + +"_Where_ is Elsie?" was Marian Seaton's desperate inquiry, when at five +minutes to eight she entered her room, following a fruitless search for +her cousin. + +"Search me," shrugged Maizie. "Very likely Weatherbee never said a word +to her. I know she hadn't as late as luncheon to-day, for I asked Elsie +and she said 'No.' We're just as well off without her. She has no more +diplomacy than a goose. She's been so grouchy all week, that I don't +trust her." + +"Oh, she's harmless," frowned Marian. "Now listen to me, Maizie. If, +when we get into Weatherbee's room, things don't look favorable, we'd +better be ready to slide out of the whole business. We can withdraw the +charge, you know. That will end the whole thing." + +Maizie made no reply, save by smiling in her slow, aggravating fashion. +She had her own ideas on the subject, but she was too indifferent of +results to express them. At least, so she believed. + +Her indifference fell away a trifle, however, as she and Marian were +presently ushered into Mrs. Weatherbee's room by a most stony-faced +matron. Instead of finding there three girls, a disturbing fourth was +present. Decidedly disturbing to Marian's peace of mind. + +At sight of Elsie Noble, who sat stolidly beside Norma on the davenport, +Marian's face darkened. Walking straight over to her cousin, she asked +furiously: + +"Where were you this evening?" + +"That will do, Miss Seaton." Mrs. Weatherbee now took command of the +situation. "Kindly sit down and allow me to manage this affair." + +With a baleful glance at Elsie, Marian sullenly obeyed the stern voice. + +"It is not necessary to go into the subject of why you are here," began +the matron, addressing the silent group of girls. "I will proceed at +once to business. I shall first read you a portion of a letter from +Edith Allison, formerly Edith Hammond." + +Taking up an open letter from a pile of papers that lay on a small table +beside her, she read aloud: + + DEAR MRS. WEATHERBEE: + + "What a shame that such an unfortunate misunderstanding should have + arisen over that unlucky white lace gown of mine. It was really a + ridiculous mistake all around. Jane's explanation, of course, + convinced you of that. It would never have happened if Judy's gown + and mine had not been so nearly alike. We all had a good laugh over + it, when Jane finally straightened out the tangle. + + "I can't understand Miss Seaton's not knowing about Judy's + absent-mindedness. It was the joke of the freshman class last year. + She figured prominently in the grind book. I am extremely indignant + to hear that her honesty has ever been doubted. She is one of the + finest, most honorable girls I have ever known. I am very glad you + wrote me about this." + +"I shall not read the remainder of this letter, as it has no further +bearing on the case," announced the matron in dignified tones. "Miss +Seaton," she turned coldly to Marian, "Miss Noble assures me that she +never overheard a conversation such as you attributed to her. I have, +therefore, drawn my own conclusions. They are not flattering to you or +Miss Gilbert. I now ask you and I demand a truthful answer, which of you +two overheard that conversation?" + +"I refuse to answer you," snapped Marian, her face flaming. + +"I am answered," returned the older woman gravely. "The subject of the +gown is now closed. We will take up that of your missing jewelry. I will +now inform you that it has been found." + +"Found!" Marian sprang to her feet in pretended surprise. "Then the +person who stole it must have given it back!" She cast a malicious +glance at Judith as she thus exclaimed. + +"Miss Seaton!" Never before had Mrs. Weatherbee's voice held such a +degree of utter displeasure. "You know, as does also Miss Gilbert, the +utter injustice of such remarks. You know, too, where to look for the +jewelry. It has never been out of your possession." + +"I haven't it. I don't know where it is." Marian's voice rose in shrill +contradiction. + +"Oh, yes you do, Marian," bluntly differed Elsie Noble. "The ring and +pin are in a little white box in the tray of your trunk. I saw them +there yesterday. I went into your room while you were both out yesterday +and hunted for them. After you showed me how spiteful you could be, I +decided you were capable of even that. So I thought I'd find it out for +myself, and I did." + +"Not a word she says is true," Marian fiercely denied. "She's an +eavesdropper and a mischief-maker. She----" + +"Mrs. Weatherbee knows all about me," coolly informed Elsie. "She knows, +too, that I'm done with all that. You needn't deny that the pin and ring +weren't there yesterday. I saw them. You may have put them somewhere +else by now, though." + +"Will you please not interrupt me?" Marian had decided to make a last +desperate attempt to crawl out of the snarl she was in. She fully +realized the seriousness of the situation. + +Addressing the matron, she said brazenly, "I came here to-night with the +intention of withdrawing my charge against Miss Stearns. Miss Gilbert +and I had decided that she was innocent. Whoever took the jewelry must +have become frightened and put it back without my knowing it. I will go +at once and look in my trunk, since my cousin insists that it is----" + +"You will kindly remain where you are," ordered Mrs. Weatherbee tersely. +"Later, I shall insist on seeing both the ring and the pin. You and Miss +Gilbert will now apologize to Miss Stearns for the trouble you have +caused her. You will also apologize to Miss Allen and Miss Bennett." + +"I was mistaken about the gown and the jewelry," Marian admitted with a +toss of her head. She was addressing no one in particular. "I have +nothing more to say." + +"I was also mistaken," drawled Maizie imperturbably. Nevertheless a +curious look of dread had crept into her sleepy black eyes. Matters were +at their worst, it appeared. Things had been stirred up altogether too +much for safety. Elsie had proved anything but harmless. + +"Do you accept this apology?" inquired the matron of the three +defendants. + +"I do, provided Miss Seaton promises strictly to have _nothing more to +say_ in future against any of us to anybody," stipulated Judith with +quiet finality. + +"I will accept it under the same conditions," Jane said quietly. + +"And I," nodded Norma. + +"Neither Miss Seaton nor Miss Gilbert will circulate any more injurious +reports about anyone," assured Mrs. Weatherbee grimly. "This matter in +itself is sufficient to warrant suspension from college. + +"I regret that there is still another grave charge against you," she +continued, fixing the guilty pair with a relentless gaze. "I have been +informed that you, Miss Seaton, are the author of a malicious letter +signed 'Jane Allen,' which I received before college opened." + +This time it was Jane who received a shock. She had come to the matron's +room prepared to take up the cudgels in Judith's behalf. Elsie Noble's +unexpected stand on the side of right had been amazing enough. Elsie had +certainly been the chief witness for the defense. Was it she who had +told Mrs. Weatherbee about the letter? + +"I haven't the least idea of what you mean," Marian haughtily retorted. + +"That's not true," contradicted the invincible Elsie. "You know +perfectly well that you sent that letter to Mrs. Weatherbee. You told me +so yourself." + +"I did nothing of the kind," persisted Marian. + +"Then how did I know about it?" triumphantly demanded Elsie. "I +mentioned it to Mrs. Weatherbee. _She_ never mentioned it to me. If I +had known then just how spiteful you could be I'd never have let you +write it. You told me before I came to Wellington that Jane Allen was a +hateful, deceitful, untruthful girl who had done you a lot of harm. I +know now that _she_ isn't. I know that _you_ are. I'm sorry that you're +my cousin and I don't intend to have anything further to do with you." + +When Elsie had begun speaking, Mrs. Weatherbee had been on the point of +checking her. She refrained, however, because she realized suddenly that +Marian deserved this arraignment. She had manufactured trouble out of +whole cloth; now she fully merited her cousin's plain speaking. + +"You have said a good deal about injustice, Mrs. Weatherbee. I think it +very unfair that I should be accused of something which I don't in the +least understand," began Marian, with a fine pretense of injured +innocence. "I should like to see the letter you accuse me of writing." + +From underneath the pile of papers on the table, the matron drew forth a +typed letter. She handed it to Marian without a word. + +Marian read it, then laughed disagreeably. + +"No wonder Elsie knew of it," she sneered. "This is some of her work. +She was crazy to get into Madison Hall with us. She knew there would be +no vacancies. I had told her that. She listened to what I had said about +Miss Allen, every word of it's true, too, by the way, and had someone +type this letter. After that she applied for admission. Very clever +indeed, Elsie, but you mustn't lay it to me. The signature is certainly +not in my handwriting." + +It was now Marian's turn to look triumphant. + +"The whole trouble with Elsie is that I threatened to expose her for +eavesdropping," she continued. "She has made me all this fuss simply to +be even. She knows that she is responsible for this letter. The fact +that she mentioned it to you, Mrs. Weatherbee, is proof enough, I should +say. Certainly you have no proof that I had anything to do with it, +beyond what she says. Her word counts for nothing." + +A breathless silence followed Marian's bold turning of the tables. Elsie +gave a sharp gasp of pure consternation. + +"Oh, I didn't do it!" she stammered, casting an appealing glance about +her. "I--hope--you--don't--believe----" + +"Here is the proof that you didn't," broke in Jane Allen's resolute +tones. She had resolved to come to the defense of the girl who had so +sturdily defended Judith. From her blouse she had drawn Eleanor's letter +and the carbon copy of the letter which Mrs. Weatherbee had received. + +When the latter had finished examining both, she looked up and said in a +dry, hard voice: + +"This is the most dishonorable affair I have ever known to happen at +Wellington. I shall certainly take it up with Miss Rutledge. There is +now no room left for doubt regarding the authorship of this letter. It +is undeniably your work, Miss Seaton. It remains yet to be discovered +what part Miss Gilbert played in it." + +Without further preliminary, the incensed matron read aloud Eleanor's +letter. + +Marian Seaton turned from red to pale as she listened. Maizie kept her +eyes resolutely on the floor. This last bit of evidence was too +overwhelming to be disputed. It could not be explained away. + +"What have you to say to this?" demanded Mrs. Weatherbee of Marian. + +"Nothing," was the muttered reply. + +The matron had a great deal to say. For the next ten minutes she +lectured the culprits with scathing severity. + +"I shall recommend that you be expelled from college, Miss Seaton. Miss +Gilbert, were you also a party to this affair?" + +"Yes," was the tranquil response, "I knew all about it. Can't say I'm +very proud of it. Still, it's rather too late now for regrets." + +Maizie raised her unfathomable black eyes from their studied scrutiny of +the floor. Quite by chance they met Jane's gray ones. Jane had a +peculiar impression as of a veil that had been slowly lifted, revealing +to her a Maizie Gilbert who had the possibilities of something higher +than malicious mischief-making. + +Obeying an impulse which suddenly swayed her, she turned to the matron. + +"Mrs. Weatherbee," she said, "can't this affair be settled now and among +ourselves? After all, no great harm has really come of it. The missing +jewelry has been found, Judith has been exonerated, I still have my +room, and no one except those present knows what has taken place here +to-night. We are willing to forget it if you are. I am speaking for +Judith and Norma. I am sure Elsie doesn't want her cousin to be +expelled. Can't we blot it out and begin over again?" + +"I should like it to be that way," said Judith quietly. + +Norma nodded silent concurrence. + +"I'll never forgive Marian, but I'd hate to see her expelled," Elsie +said, after a brief hesitation. "I don't think Maizie ought to be, +either. It's not half as much her fault as Marian's." + +Perhaps this latest turn of the tide amazed Mrs. Weatherbee most of all. +For a time she silently scanned the group of girls before her. She had +not reckoned that the defense would suddenly swing about and plead for +the defeated prosecution. + +"I cannot answer you now, Miss Allen," she gravely replied. "I can +appreciate, however, your generosity of spirit. I shall ask all of you +to leave me now. Later I will inform you of my decision." + +Each feeling that there was nothing more to be said, the six girls +obediently rose to depart. Marian walked to the door, looking neither to +the right nor left. Without waiting for Maizie she made a hurried exit. + +Maizie took her time, however. Her hand on the door knob she turned and +addressed Jane. + +"You're a real Right Guard," she said in her slow, drawling fashion. +"Not only on the team, but in everything else. I'm sorry it took me so +long to find it out." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +CONCLUSION + + +As a result of the events of the previous evening, Marian Seaton and +Maizie Gilbert put in a very bad day. It began by a wild fit of weeping +on Marian's part, after breakfast and in her room that morning. At +breakfast she managed to keep up a semblance of her usual self-assured, +arrogant manner, but the moment she reached her room she crumpled. + +"Don't be a baby, Marian," was Maizie's rough advice, as she stolidly +prepared to go to her first recitation of the day. "You brought this +trouble on yourself. You might as well take the consequences without +whimpering. You'd better cut your first recitation. Your eyes are a +sight." + +"I'm not going to _any_ of my classes to-day. Go on about your own +business and let me alone," was Marian's equally rude retort. + +Maizie merely shrugged at this announcement and went stoically upon her +way. She was made of sterner stuff than her unworthy roommate, and with +the realization that she had behaved very badly indeed, she had now +steeled herself to accept her punishment bravely. + +Marian, on the contrary, moped in her room all morning, went to +Rutherford Inn for a lonely luncheon and returned to the Hall and her +room to weep again and ponder darkly over her unhappy situation. She +tried in vain to prepare an argument by which she might clear herself +should Mrs. Weatherbee decide to expose her wrong-doing to Miss +Rutledge. She could think of nothing that might carry weight. The case +against her was too complete to afford the slightest loophole for +escape. + +As the day dragged on she gave up in despair. She made up her mind that +her only hope now lay in appealing to Mrs. Weatherbee for mercy. She +resolved to pretend deep remorse and promise a future uprightness of +conduct to which she had no intention of living up. + +At five o'clock that afternoon, Maizie walked in upon the despondent +Marian with: "Mrs. Weatherbee wants to see us in her room. The maid +just told me. I'm glad of it. I'm anxious to have the matter settled." + +"If Mrs. Weatherbee tells us that she is going to report us to Miss +Rutledge, Maizie, we must beg her not to do it," quavered Marian. "We +must promise her anything rather than let her go to Miss Rutledge. +That's what I intend to do and so must you." + +Maizie regarded Marian with the air of one who was carefully weighing +the cowardly counsel. All she said was: + +"Come on. We mustn't keep her waiting." + +First glance at the matron's face as they were admitted to her room +filled both girls with renewed apprehension. She looked more +uncompromisingly stern than ever. With a brusque invitation to be +seated, she took a chair directly opposite them and began addressing +them in cool, measured tones: + +"My original intention was to defer a decision of your case for several +days, at least," she said. "Thinking the matter over to-day, I came to +the conclusion that the sooner this disagreeable affair was settled and +off my mind, the better pleased I should be. + +"Both of you deserve expulsion from college. I am sure that Miss +Rutledge would be of the same opinion were I to lay the matter before +her. Frankly, I have decided not to do so simply on account of Miss +Stearns and Miss Allen. These two young girls have shown themselves +great enough of spirit to overlook the injury you have endeavored to do +them. This has made a marked impression upon me, so great, in fact, that +I have determined not to report this very disagreeable affair to Miss +Rutledge. Since it has occurred at the Hall and has no bearing on any +one outside the Hall, I feel that I am justified in settling it as I +deem wisest for all concerned. + +"The fact that you are both young girls, also, has something to do with +it. In my opinion it is a very shocking matter for a young woman to be +expelled from college. You have been under my charge for almost two +years, and I feel in a measure responsible for you. On this account and +because Miss Stearns and Miss Allen have interceded for you, I shall not +inform Miss Rutledge of your dishonorable conduct. + +"For the remainder of the college year I shall allow you to continue +under my charge at the Hall. When you leave Madison Hall in June, +however, it will be with the understanding that you cannot return to it +the following autumn. You must make arrangements to live at another +campus house." + +Thus far neither girl had been given the least opportunity of speaking. +As it happened, neither had the slightest desire to speak. Both were +feeling too intensely relieved for words. First to recover from the good +news that she and Maizie would escape the punishment they merited, +Marian Seaton now said with a faint touch of asperity: + +"Why won't you allow us to come back to Madison Hall next year, Mrs. +Weatherbee? We prefer it to any other campus house. If we give you our +word of honor to let Judith Stearns and her crowd alone, isn't that +sufficient?" + +"No, Miss Seaton, it is not. I repeat that you must make other +arrangements for next year. One thing more and we will conclude this +interview. You must both pledge yourselves to good behavior while you +are here. If I hear of any attempts on your part to malign a fellow +student, either by word or deed, I shall revoke my decision and put your +case before Miss Rutledge. Nothing except absolute fair play on your +part will be tolerated here. That is all. You are at liberty to go." + +Fighting back her anger, Marian arose, and with a stiff, "Thank you, +Mrs. Weatherbee," walked to the door. She was congratulating herself +that she had not been forced to ask favors of that "hard-hearted old +tyrant." + +Maizie rose, but made no attempt to follow Marian. Instead she raised +unfathomable black eyes to the matron and said: + +"You are kinder to us than we deserve. I thank you." + +Then she turned abruptly and followed Marian from the room. + +Back in their own room, she walked over to her bed and sat down on it +and eyed Marian reflectively. + +"Well, what's the matter with you?" asked Marian crossly. "You make me +tired. Why did you say to that old dragon that she'd been kinder to us +than we deserved? It wasn't necessary. The idea of her turning us out of +Madison Hall. And we can't do anything to stop her, either. She has the +whip hand and she knows it. It's a positive outrage and the whole affair +is Elsie's fault, the hateful little hypocrite. She'll be sorry. I'll +never rest until I pay her back for this." + +"It strikes me," drawled Maizie, "that there's been altogether too much +of this 'paying back' business. You'd best drop it, Marian. You are not +a success in that line. As for me, I'm tired of it. I used to think it +great fun and exciting, but now I know that it's petty, mean and +unworthy. If I could be as true to myself as Jane Allen is, I'd be +happy." + +"_Jane Allen!_" exclaimed Marian in exasperation. "I _hate_ the very +sound of her name. I suppose now, since you seem to admire her so much, +you'll begin running after her." + +"No, not yet," was the tranquil response. "Perhaps never. I don't know. +I'm going to stick to you for the present. I've been a party to your +schemes and it wouldn't be right to desert you. But from now on, I am +going to be fair with these girls. I warn you not to come to me with any +plans of yours for getting even with them. I won't listen to them. If +you are wise you won't make them. But you won't be wise. I know you too +well. Only don't count on me to help you. The old Maizie is dead. I +don't know what the new one's going to be like. I'll have to wait and +find out." + +"You're a big goose," sneered Marian. "I never thought you'd be so +silly. And all on account of that priggish Jane Allen. She's----" + +"She's a fine girl," declared Maizie with an ominous flash of her black +eyes. "I only wish you and I were more like her." + +Meanwhile, in company with Judith Stearns, the objects of Maizie's newly +discovered admiration were on their way to Mrs. Weatherbee's room. +Immediately Marian and Maizie had departed, the matron had sent for Jane +and Judith. For an hour they remained in friendly and very earnest +conclave with Mrs. Weatherbee. When at last they left her, it was with +the feeling that everything was once more right with their little world. + +The instant the door of their own room closed behind the two, they +expressed their emotions by clinging to each other in joyful embrace. + +"Thank goodness, it's come out all right!" exclaimed Judith. "We'd never +have felt quite comfortable if Mrs. Weatherbee had taken it higher. +Marian and Maizie would have been expelled from Wellington, that's +certain. It is enough punishment for them to have been told that they +couldn't come back to Madison Hall next year and wouldn't be allowed to +stay here for the rest of this year only on the promise of strict good +behavior." + +"I can't feel sorry about that part of it," declared Jane. "I think we +are justified in being glad that Marian Seaton will be in another campus +house next year. To tell you the truth I wouldn't mind Maizie's being +here. She's a strange girl, Judy. There's a lot to her beneath that +lazy, indifferent manner of hers. I'll never forget the way she looked +when she turned to me and spoke about my being Right Guard." + +"She looked as though she'd been asleep for a long time and then had +suddenly waked up," nodded Judith. "And Elsie Noble! I can't get over +the way she turned around and stood up for us. Just to think, too, she +told Mrs. Weatherbee that it was Norma who had made her feel as though +she wanted to be different. And Norma never even knew how much Elsie +admired her." + +"It shows that a person who does right and thinks right is bound to +influence others without ever saying a word," Jane said reflectively. + +"Yes, that's so," Judith agreed. "One never knows how much every little +thing one says and does is going to impress others. I shall have to be +pretty careful how I behave in future. My fatal failing's likely to land +me in penitentiary yet, if I don't reform," she added with a giggle. + +"You'll have to learn to distinguish between a rubbish can and a package +box, Judy," laughed Jane. + +During the confidential talk with Jane and Judith, Mrs. Weatherbee had +told Judith all about the missing sweater and its amazing return into +her hands. + +"It wouldn't have happened if some one hadn't moved that rubbish can up +near the package box," asserted Judith. "It was so dark, and raining so +hard I didn't stop to look. The lids of the rubbish can lift up on each +side from the middle, you know. Of course, if I had my mind on what I +was doing it wouldn't have happened, but I didn't. + +"Mrs. Weatherbee didn't say so, but I'm sure she must have thought that +the sweater Aunt Jennie made me was the missing one," Judith opined. +"Honestly, Jane, I believe if it hadn't been for that, she never would +have listened to Marian Seaton's accusations against me." + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Transcriber's Notes + +1. Punctuation has been normalized to contemporary standards. +2. 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