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+Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore, by Pauline Lester
+
+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: Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore
+
+Author: Pauline Lester
+
+Release Date: July 14, 2007 [EBook #22071]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Leila claimed the privilege of conveying the freshman to
+Silverton Hall, her destination. Page 115]
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN
+COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+By Pauline Lester
+
+Author of
+"Marjorie Dean, College Freshman,"
+"Marjorie Dean, College Junior,"
+"Marjorie Dean, College Senior,"
+and
+The Marjorie Dean High School Series
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+Publishers--New York
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+The Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+A Series of Stories for Girls 12 to 18 Years of Age
+
+By Pauline Lester
+
+Marjorie Dean, College Freshman
+Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore
+Marjorie Dean, College Junior
+Marjorie Dean, College Senior
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Copyright, 1922
+By A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+Made in "U. S. A."
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE RETURN.
+
+
+"Hamilton, at last!" Marjorie Dean's utterance expressed her satisfaction
+of the journey's near end.
+
+"Yes; Hamilton, at last," repeated Muriel Harding. "This September it
+doesn't matter a particle whether or not we are met at the station. We
+are sophomores. We know what to do and where to go without the help of
+the celebrated Sans Soucians." Muriel's inflection was one of sarcasm.
+
+"All the help they ever gave us as freshmen can be told in two words:
+_no help_. Forget the Sans. I hate to think of them. I hope not one of
+them is back. The station platform will look beautiful without them."
+Jerry Macy delivered herself of this uncomplimentary opinion as she
+began methodically to gather up her luggage.
+
+"How very sad to see two Hamiltonites so utterly lacking in college
+spirit." Veronica Lynne simulated pained surprise.
+
+"Yes; isn't it?" retorted Jerry. "Whose fault is it that Muriel and I
+haven't last year's trusting faith in reception committees? Recall how
+we stood on the station platform like a flock of dummies with no one to
+bid us the time of day or say a kind word to us. No wonder my love for
+the Sans is a minus quantity."
+
+"You aren't following your own advice," calmly criticized Lucy Warner.
+"You said 'Forget the Sans' and went right on talking about them."
+
+"'And thou, too, Brutus!'" Jerry dramatically struck her hand to her
+forehead. "It is getting to the point where one can't say a single word
+around here without being called to account for it. This distressing
+state of affairs must stop." She frowned portentously at Lucy, who
+merely giggled. "You may blame Ronny for egging me on to further cutting
+remarks about the Sans. I was prepared to forget them until she
+undertook to call Muriel and I down. Then I simply had to defend our
+position."
+
+"What position?" innocently queried Ronny. "I was not aware that you and
+Muriel----"
+
+"The train has stopped. Didn't you know it?" was Marjorie's amused
+interruption. "Stop squabbling and come along." She was already in the
+aisle and impatient to be on the move. "Helen Trent is out on the
+platform, Jeremiah. I just caught a glimpse of her. I hope Leila and
+Vera are out there, too. Let me assist you into the aisle." Marjorie
+playfully gripped Jerry's arm in a vain effort to draw her to her feet.
+
+"Thank you. I can assist myself. I am not yet aged enough to require
+your services. You may carry my suitcase, if you like. It's as heavy as
+lead."
+
+"Charmed, but unfortunately I have one to carry equally heavy," Marjorie
+hastily declined. "I only offered to haul you up from the seat. My offer
+didn't include luggage carrying."
+
+"You are a fake." Jerry rose and prepared to follow Marjorie down the
+aisle. As she went she peered anxiously out of the car windows for a
+first glimpse of her particular friend, Helen Trent.
+
+The eyes of the other four Lookouts were also turned eagerly toward the
+station platform in search of their Hamilton friends.
+
+A year had elapsed since first the Five Travelers, as the quintette of
+Sanford girls had named themselves, had set foot in the Country of
+College. Each was recalling now how very strangely she had felt on first
+glimpsing Hamilton station with its bevy of laughing, chatting girls,
+not one of whom they knew. Then they had been entering freshmen, with
+everything to learn about college. Now they were sophomores, with a year
+of college experience to their credit. What befell Marjorie Dean and her
+four Lookout chums as freshmen at Hamilton College has already been
+recounted in "Marjorie Dean, College Freshman."
+
+"Hooray!" rejoiced Jerry, from the top step of the train, waving her
+handbag, a magazine and a tennis racket, all of which she clutched in
+her right hand. This vociferous greeting was for Helen, who was making
+equally vociferous signals of jubilation at the descending travelers.
+
+Marjorie had also caught sight of Leila Harper and Vera Mason, and was
+waving them a welcome. Lucy's eyes were fixed on Katherine Langly, whom
+she knew had come down to the station especially to meet her. Veronica
+and Muriel were exchanging gay hand salutations with a group of
+Silverton Hall girls prior to greeting them on the platform. An instant
+and the Five Travelers were free of the train and surrounded.
+
+"And is it yourself?" Leila Harper was hugging Marjorie in an excess of
+true Irish affection. "Vera had a hunch this morning that you would be
+here today. I said it was too early; that you wouldn't be here until the
+first of next week. She would have it her way, so we drove down to meet
+this train. Now I know she has the gifted eye and the seeing mind, as we
+Irish say."
+
+"It is a good thing for us that she had that hunch," declared Marjorie,
+turning to Vera and holding out both hands. "I was hoping you would both
+be here to meet us. I would have wired you, Leila, but was not sure that
+you would be back at Hamilton so early. We are here a week earlier than
+last year. We wanted to be at home as long as we could, but we felt
+that, as sophomores, we ought to come back earlier to help the freshies.
+We had such a lonesome time on our freshman appearance at Hamilton, you
+know."
+
+"Yes, I know," returned Leila significantly. "That was one of the Sans'
+performances which was never explained. Away with them. This is no time
+to think of them. The rest of your Lookouts are running off and leaving
+you, Beauty." This last had been Leila's pet name for Marjorie since the
+latter had won the title at a beauty contest given the previous year at
+the freshman frolic.
+
+"They'd better not run far. I am going to take you all back to college
+in my car," Vera hospitably informed Marjorie. "Leila brought Helen
+Trent, Katherine, Ethel Laird and Martha Merrick to the station in her
+car. Ethel expects a freshman cousin from Troy, New York. Martha came
+along because she had nothing else to do. She said she would like to
+see if my hunch came true. She had never yet heard of one that amounted
+to a row of pins. She was sure you would not be on the 5.50 train. Oh,
+wait until I catch sight of her! She's circulating around the platform
+somewhere."
+
+"So are my pals." Marjorie glanced about her, endeavoring to locate her
+chums. None of them were far away. Lucy and Katherine Langly were
+already approaching. Muriel and Ronny were still engaged with the group
+of Silverton Hall girls. Neither Robina Page nor Portia Graham were
+among them. It was quite likely they had not yet returned to Hamilton.
+
+"Just as soon as we can collect your crowd, Marjorie, we'll spin you
+along to the Hall. Then, I beg to inform you, you are needed at a grand
+rally at Baretti's. Let us have faith in the stars that those four pals
+of yours have not recklessly accepted invitations to other celebrations.
+And if they have, I shall be in a high temper. I warn you." Leila showed
+her white teeth in a smile that was certainly no indication of
+ill-temper.
+
+"They haven't, Leila," Marjorie happily assured. She was thinking what a
+joy it was to see Leila again. "On the train we all agreed not to accept
+any invitations to dinner on this first evening. Our plan was to take
+you and Vera, Helen and Katherine and Hortense Barlow to Baretti's for a
+feast, provided you were all here. If some of you were missing, then we
+thought we would take those of you who had come back to the Colonial,
+and wait until you all arrived for the other celebration. You see, it is
+to be what you might call a 'first friends'' party. Helen was the first
+girl we met. Now she and Jerry are college pals. Katherine is Lucy's
+first friend. Muriel is so fond of Hortense, and Ronny and I look upon
+you and Vera as nearer than any of the others. I am fond of Robin Page,
+and Portia Graham, too. They really ought to be included. Are they here,
+and how long have you and Vera been back?"
+
+Marjorie made her explanations and asked her questions almost in the
+same breath.
+
+"We have been here three days. We have been really busy though. We had
+our unpacking to do, and we changed the furniture around in our room. We
+spent one whole afternoon playing golf. We both adore the Hamilton
+links. The time has gone fast, although we have missed our own
+particular cronies, especially in the evenings. Now we can have a few
+jollifications before college starts." Vera answered for Leila, who had
+turned to greet Lucy Warner.
+
+Presently Muriel and Ronny joined them, to be warmly welcomed by the two
+juniors. Jerry and Helen Trent were the last to arrive. With their
+appearance among the group of staunch comrades, the entire party began a
+slow walk down the platform and toward the stairs which led away from
+the station.
+
+"If you are in search of information as to who's where and when you may
+expect them, ask Helen. As I used to say of myself, 'I know everything
+about everybody,' I now pass on that same saying to my esteemed friend,
+Miss Trent." Jerry beamed on Helen with exaggerated admiration.
+
+"Now, Jeremiah, don't you think that a rather sweeping statement? There
+may be just a _few_ students at Hamilton I don't happen to be informed
+about. You will give our friends here the impression that I am a
+busybody. Remember I am now a junior. Try to treat me with more
+respect." Helen smiled indolent good nature as she thus admonished
+Jerry.
+
+"I'll try, but that's all the good it will do. The whole trouble is, you
+don't command my awe and respect," complained Jerry.
+
+"Neither do you inspire such feelings in me," placidly returned Helen.
+"We'll simply have to go on being disrespectful to each other," she
+ended, with a chuckle which Jerry echoed.
+
+"Let us see." The little company had reached the place where Leila and
+Vera had parked their cars. Leila now cast speculative eyes over the
+group. "Martha is missing. Ethel must have found her cousin, surely. If
+she did not find her she was to go back to the campus with us. I lost
+track of her after the train whistled in. Martha is probably with Ethel;
+helping to impress the freshman cousin with junior estate," Leila made
+whimsical guess. "I think we are ready to start. Nine of us; that's four
+to your car and five to mine, Midget."
+
+"All right," returned Vera. "Choose your five, or, better, let your five
+choose you. The sooner we start, the sooner we will reach the Hall. That
+means a longer time to celebrate tonight."
+
+"Delighted to ride with either of you," assured Muriel. "The main
+feature of this occasion is the beautiful fact that we are cherished
+enough to be actually met at the station and asked to ride in folks'
+automobiles."
+
+"Muriel can't get over the freezing-out we met with last September,"
+commented Ronny.
+
+"Neither can I. I feel chilly every time I think of it. Br-r-r!" Jerry
+made pretense of shivering.
+
+"Well, we all know whose fault that was," shrugged Leila.
+
+"Precisely what I said just before we left the train," nodded Jerry. "We
+couldn't understand for a long time why those three Sans should have
+taken it upon themselves at all to meet our train. We have a clear idea
+now of why it was. Tonight, at the celebration, I'll hold forth on the
+subject. Let us not mar the sweet joy of meeting by gossiping," she
+ended with an irresistibly funny simper.
+
+"No; let us not," echoed Leila dryly. "Be quick with your choosing now.
+Time will keep on flying."
+
+Five minutes later, Marjorie, Ronny, Helen and Jerry were leaving the
+station yard in Leila's car. Muriel, Lucy, Katherine and Vera occupied
+the latter's smart limousine. In comparison with the subdued almost sad
+little party they had been on the previous September, the Five Travelers
+were now a very merry company of adventurers in the Country of College.
+
+On the front seat of Leila's roadster, beside Leila, Marjorie was silent
+for a little, as Leila skilfully guided the trim roadster in and out of
+the considerable traffic of Herndon Avenue, Hamilton's main
+thoroughfare.
+
+"Have you seen any of the Sans yet, Leila?" she presently questioned.
+The car was now turning into Highland Avenue, which led directly to
+Hamilton Estates. Marjorie glimpsed, in passing, the same wealth of
+colorful leaf and bloom she had so greatly admired when driving through
+the pretty town the previous autumn.
+
+"No signs of them yet," Leila made reply. "I am not grieving. I am
+wondering if they will be at the Hall again this year. Miss Remson
+doesn't want them; that I know. After they made the trouble for you, she
+declared she would not let them come back if she could help it."
+
+"I know." Marjorie was silent for a moment. "I had a talk with Miss
+Remson in June, just before college closed," she said slowly. "I asked
+her not to make a complaint to President Matthews on my account. I told
+her it would not make any difference to me if they stayed at the Hall. I
+did not believe it would make any to the rest of the girls. None of us
+had spoken to them since the meeting in the living room. None of us were
+in the least afraid of them. We had as much right to be at the Hall as
+they. She finally promised to leave me out of it entirely, but she
+intended to make complaint against them on her own account."
+
+"Then they will soon be here, lug and luggage," predicted Leila with a
+groan. "It is the way they treated you that would have counted against
+them. Our president is a stickler for honor. He might readily expel them
+for that very performance."
+
+"That is what I was afraid of. I should not wish a student expelled from
+Hamilton on my account. It was hard enough to have to call them to
+account, as we did last March."
+
+"They have had all summer to get over the shock. They'll be planning
+new trouble this fall." Leila spoke with the confidence of belief.
+"Leslie Cairns never gives up. Are you ready to fight them again,
+Beauty?" Leila eyed Marjorie quizzically. She asked the question in the
+odd, level tone she had used on first acquaintance with Marjorie.
+
+"I think this: Our best way to fight the Sans is by influence. Their
+influence, founded as it is on money values, is not beneficial to
+Hamilton College. Ours should be founded strictly on observing the
+traditions of Hamilton. We must make other students see that, too. We
+can't lecture on the subject, of course. It will have to be a silent
+struggle for nobler aims. I hardly know how to explain my meaning. I
+only wish everyone else here had the same feeling of reverence for
+Hamilton that I have."
+
+Marjorie paused, quite at a loss to put into words all that was in her
+heart. As they talked, the roadster had been spinning rapidly along
+through Hamilton Estates. Suddenly the campus, of living velvety green,
+appeared upon their view. The old, potent spell of its beauty gripped
+the little lieutenant afresh. She had a desire to rise in the seat and
+shout a welcome to her first Hamilton friend. A verse of a forest hymn
+she had learned as a child in the grade schools sprang to her memory. It
+was so well suited to the campus.
+
+"I've always loved the campus, Leila," she began. "I call it my first
+friend and the chimes my second. Those two things meant the most to me
+when first we came to Hamilton and felt so out of the college picture.
+Just now I happened to recall a verse of a song we used to sing in
+school. It is a hymn to the forest, but it describes Hamilton campus and
+all the college itself should stand for." Marjorie repeated the verse,
+her eyes on the rolling emerald spread:
+
+    "Who rightly scans thy beauty, a world of truth must read;
+    Of life and hope and duty; our help in time of need.
+    And I have read them often, those words so true and clear,
+    What heart that would not soften, thy wisdom to revere."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+A CELEBRATION AT BARETTI'S.
+
+
+The Lookouts' plan to entertain their friends at either Baretti's or the
+Colonial on their first evening at Hamilton was over-ruled by Leila and
+Vera. As Hortense Barlow, Robina Page and Portia Graham were still
+missing from their circle of friends, they agreed to postpone their own
+celebration until the missing ones should have returned to Hamilton.
+Thus Vera and Leila gained their point and were in high glee over it.
+Privately they were glad to have the Lookouts to themselves for the
+evening, with the addition only of Katherine and Helen.
+
+The warm September day had vanished into a soft, balmy night, garnished
+by a full, silvery moon. The road to Baretti's was light as day and the
+nine girls, clad in delicate-hued summer frocks, added to the pale
+beauty of the night. They were in high spirits, as the incessant murmur
+of their voices, punctuated by frequent ripples of light laughter, amply
+testified.
+
+Entering the quaint, stately restaurant, the Lookouts stopped to pay
+courteous respects to Guiseppe Baretti, the proud proprietor, a small,
+somber-eyed Italian. Their frequent patronage of Baretti's during their
+freshman year had made them very welcome guests. Signor Baretti's solemn
+face became wreathed with smiles as he greeted them.
+
+"It is certainly good to be here again!" exclaimed Jerry. By
+appropriating two extra chairs from a nearby vacant table, the nine
+diners had managed to seat themselves without crowding at one table.
+
+"Isn't it, though?" Vera Mason glanced happily around the circle. "I
+miss Baretti's dreadfully during vacations. There is really no other
+restaurant quite like it."
+
+"We missed it too, this summer. Our main standby in Sanford was
+Sargeant's. You and Leila made its acquaintance when you were in Sanford
+last Easter. We used to go there so often after school. I wonder we ever
+had an appetite for dinner when we went home. Of course it can't be
+compared with Baretti's, as it is merely a confectioner's shop. We had
+happy times there, though," Marjorie concluded.
+
+"It was a regular conspirator's shop," Jerry supplemented. "Whenever we
+had anything special to talk over, the watchword was, 'On to
+Sargeant's.'"
+
+"We settled a great many weighty affairs of state at Sargeant's."
+Muriel smiled reminiscently. "I suppose Baretti's will grow dearer to us
+as we plod along our college way. I like it better than the Colonial,
+which lacks the air this place has. Besides, the Sans monopolize it so
+that I had rather come here."
+
+"Why did the Sans turn from Baretti's to the Colonial?" Lucy asked
+tersely. Her analytic mind had not for an instant lost sight of Vera's
+earlier remark concerning the proprietor. "What happened?"
+
+"Oh, it took a large number of straws to break the camel's back. When it
+broke----"
+
+"Bing!" obligingly supplied Jerry. "I can picture the wrath of an
+outraged Baretti."
+
+"He was wrathful more than once before he said a word. The Sans used to
+be awfully noisy when they dined or lunched here. Guiseppe did not like
+that. They used to reserve tables by telephone, then, when they reached
+here for dinner, they would claim he had not reserved the tables they
+had asked for. That was a trick of Leslie Cairns. She would tell him
+that he ought not charge extra for the tables as he had not complied
+with her order properly. There were all sorts of little points like that
+which the Sans used to argue with him. They used to tease him purposely
+to see him get angry. When he is very angry he says not a word. He
+clenches his hands and his face turns fiery red. His eyes snap and he
+looks as though he would like to turn inside out. He half opens his
+mouth, then turns on his heel and scuttles off.
+
+"One evening in February," Vera continued, "Leila and I came here for
+dinner. One of the sophs had a birthday and she was giving a dinner to
+eighteen of her classmates. Remember, Leila? They had those three tables
+over there." Vera nodded toward the opposite side of the room. "The room
+was quite well filled, when in came Leslie Cairns, Joan Myers and
+Natalie Weyman with three girls who had come from a prep. school to
+spend a week-end with Joan. There wasn't a single table at which they
+all could sit. Instead of calling Guiseppe, Leslie Cairns walked
+straight to the soph who was giving the dinner, and claimed she had
+taken a table which Joan had reserved by telephone. The soph should
+simply have stayed away upon her dignity and called Signor Baretti. She
+was indignant, naturally, and began to argue the matter with Miss
+Cairns. They both grew furious and talked so loudly you could hear them
+all over the room. Natalie Weyman undertook to champion Leslie, and
+Leslie told her to shut her mouth and mind her own affairs. She is _so_
+uncouth when she loses her temper. Honestly, a regular pow-wow went on
+for a few minutes."
+
+Vera stopped her narrative to laugh as she recalled that very stormy
+altercation. Leila was also laughing. Nor could the other listeners fail
+to be amused.
+
+"I can imagine how that poor soph felt to be jumped on so unexpectedly,
+when she was playing the agreeable hostess at her own birthday party."
+Jerry's sympathy for the injured sophomore did not prevent her from
+laughing. The funny side of such tragedies invariably struck Jerry
+first. "How did the pow-wow end?"
+
+"Very likely an enraged Baretti swooped down on them and read them the
+law in broken and indignant English," guessed Ronny, with a glance
+toward the cashier's desk, where the stolid little proprietor sat
+counting the day's receipts.
+
+"Did he?" emphasized Vera. "He crossed the floor as though he had wings
+attached to his shoes. He stopped directly in front of Leslie Cairns. We
+couldn't hear what he said to her. It wasn't more than half a dozen
+sentences. They must have been strictly to the point. She glared at him
+and he glared back. Then she said loudly enough to be heard all over the
+room: 'Come on, girls. Let the dago have his hash house. I hope it burns
+down tonight.' The six of them went out of the restaurant, laughing.
+Guiseppe was wild. He swore they should never be allowed to set foot in
+this place again. They stayed away until after Easter. Gradually they
+drifted back, and he didn't reopen the quarrel. They have been on their
+good behavior here since then."
+
+"Quite a collegiate performance. What?" Leila gave an exact imitation of
+Leslie Cairns' manner of uttering the interrogation. "Take the truth
+from me, our freshie year was full of just such scenes put over by those
+girls."
+
+"The soph who had the fuss with Leslie Cairns is a senior this year. You
+may believe the Sans will get no favors from her and her party crowd.
+The Sans will find out some day that they can't sow tares and expect to
+reap flowers," concluded Vera with some warmth.
+
+"Yes, but it will take them such a very long time to find it out,"
+Muriel said impatiently. "If we don't stand up for the honor of our Alma
+Mater, who will?"
+
+"Well, we've done some good," sturdily asserted Jerry. "We wouldn't
+allow the Sans to rag Katherine. The Beauty contest was an awful damper
+to them, especially Miss Weyman. It put a crimp in her sails. She needed
+to be suppressed. Then came the trouble about basket ball. The Silverton
+House girls deserve most of the credit for that _coup de grace_. It
+certainly brought the freshman class together with a snap. There are
+only about twelve or fifteen of the present sophs who are Sans
+worshippers. Miss Reid won't dare interfere with sports this year."
+
+"A strong blow you freshies struck for fairness in college sports,"
+commended Leila. "They will be properly managed this year."
+
+"Miss Reid is to have only light gymnastics and folk dancing from this
+on," announced Helen. "There is to be a new gym instructor; a young man.
+He is a physical culture expert and an acrobat. He is to teach bar and
+trapeze work."
+
+"You don't mean it!" Leila puckered her lips into a soft whistle. "What
+is to become of Miss Bailey? She is a better teacher of folk dancing
+than Miss Reid. Who told you, Helen?"
+
+"Miss Bailey herself. I came up from town with her the other day in a
+taxi. She seems pleased with the new arrangement. She is to assist both
+Miss Reid and the new instructor. You know she is an athletic wonder for
+a woman. She does very difficult acrobatic work and understands teaching
+balance. That is so difficult to teach."
+
+"Who knows? This may be Miss Reid's last year with us," Leila said with
+a tinge of laughing malice. "It is said a change of that kind for a
+teacher at college generally precedes a violent drop. If true, we must
+try to bear our loss. It takes time to recover from such losses. How we
+do ramble from the subject. Let us be turning back to our freshies'
+good works."
+
+"Muriel stopped at that basket ball affair last winter," prompted
+Katherine. "I'll mention it before Lucy has a chance. She isn't the only
+one who can keep tab on things."
+
+"I see I shall have to keep you in the background." Lucy bent a severe
+eye on Katherine. "You are out to steal my glory."
+
+"Just tell her to subside, a la Leslie Cairns," suggested Helen. "What a
+shame that I missed that lovely party row at Baretti's. I heard echoes
+of it on the campus for a week afterward. Let me tell you, I admire
+Ronny for the way she wound up that tale the Sans started against
+Marjorie last March. It was the best thing that could have been done."
+
+"Something had to be done." Ronny's gray eyes grew flinty. "Those
+particular girls took an unusually bold stand against her. I am
+surprised that they did not attempt to haze her earlier in the year."
+
+"It probably did not occur to them," was Vera's opinion. "If it had,
+they might have tried it. It is strictly forbidden here. The hazers
+would certainly be expelled. President Matthews is down on it with both
+feet. A niece of his was hazed at college and contracted pneumonia. She
+died of it and he has been doubly opposed to it since then."
+
+"I am glad I was saved midnight visits from sheeted ghosts or some such
+eerie horror," laughed Marjorie. "It wouldn't have done them
+any good if ever they had hazed me. I would have refused to do one
+single thing they told me to do. It wouldn't have been a specially
+pleasant experience to waken suddenly and find the room inhabited by
+spooks. Still I wouldn't have been afraid of them. I am glad to be a
+soph. I am past the grind and hazing stage. Do tell the girls about
+Row-ena Farnham, Jeremiah. You promised them you would."
+
+"And so I will," affably consented Jerry. "I think I'll save it for
+dessert, though."
+
+"I think you won't," quickly objected Leila. "Be nice and tell us now.
+Dessert is afar off. The sherbet and the salad stand between it."
+
+Having come to a speedy selection of their dinner, immediately they were
+seated at table, they were now finishing the toothsome old-fashioned
+chicken pot-pie and its palatable accompaniments which was one of
+Baretti's most popular specialties.
+
+"All right children, I will humor you," Jerry made gracious concession,
+as other protesting voices arose. "Understand this is no news to the
+Lookouts here assembled."
+
+"We don't mind hearing it again. We're the pattern of amiability,"
+Muriel made light assurance.
+
+"Charmed, to be sure," beamed Ronny.
+
+"I'll take your word for it." Jerry did not appear specially impressed
+by such overwhelming forbearance. "To begin with, the Macys spend their
+summers at Severn Beach. The Farnhams have a regular castle at
+Tanglewood, a resort about ten miles from Severn Beach. It is needless
+to say that Row-ena and I do not exchange visits. I am happy to say I
+never saw her at Severn Beach. Think what the beach has been spared."
+
+"One afternoon Hal took me to Tanglewood in his sailboat. He went to see
+a couple of his chums about arranging for a yacht race. I didn't care to
+go with him to the cottage. I knew they didn't want me butting in while
+they planned their race. I stayed down on the sands near the boat. Hal
+had promised to be back by four o'clock.
+
+"I watched the bathers for a while. There were only a few in the water
+that day," Jerry continued. "Finally, I thought I would go up to a large
+pavilion at the head of the pier for an ice. I sat in the pavilion
+eating a pineapple ice as peacefully as you please. All of a sudden I
+realized someone had stopped beside my chair; two someones by the way.
+One of them was Row-ena Quarrelena Fightena Scrapena; the other," Jerry
+paused impressively, "was our precious hob-goblin, Miss Cairns."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+GATHERING CLOUDS.
+
+
+"Really!" came in surprised exclamation from Vera.
+
+"Hmm! What a congenial pair!" was Helen Trent's placid reception of the
+information.
+
+"Like walks with like." Leila's tones vibrated with satirical truth.
+"Knaves fall out, but to fall in again."
+
+"I know it," agreed Jerry. "One would naturally suppose that Miss Cairns
+would have no use for Row-ena after the net she led her into. Not a bit
+of it."
+
+"It must have been a shock, Jeremiah, to look up suddenly and find
+yourself in such company." Helen could not repress the ghost of a
+chuckle.
+
+"It was. They were lined up for battle. I saw that at a glance. Row-ena
+was half laughing; a trick of hers when she is all ready to make a grand
+disturbance. Leslie Cairns looked like a Japanese thundercloud. I never
+said a word; just sat very straight in my chair. I went on eating my
+ice as if I didn't know they were there. Like this."
+
+Jerry gave an imitation of her manner and facial expression on the
+occasion she was describing.
+
+"I thought they might give it up as a bad job and go away, but they
+stayed. Then Row-ena started in with a regular tirade about Marjorie and
+all of us. I can't repeat what she said word for word. Anyway, she
+called us all liars. I don't remember what I said, but it must have been
+effective. I certainly handed Row-ena my candid opinion of herself. She
+saw she was getting the worst of the argument and declared she wouldn't
+stay and be so insulted. She started out of the pavilion, calling Miss
+Cairns to come along. The fair Leslie wouldn't budge. She told Row-ena
+to go on, that she had something to say to me. That was the first remark
+she had made. Then she asked me in her slow, drawling way if I would
+listen to something she had to say to me. I said I would not. I had
+heard too much as it was. I got up and beat it and left her standing
+there. I was so sore I forgot to pay for my ice. I had to send Hal back
+with the money. As I started away from the pavilion, I saw Row-ena
+getting into a dizzy-looking black and white roadster. I think the car
+belonged to Miss Cairns. It looked like her. I suppose she and dear
+Row-ena had been out for a ride and simply happened to run across me in
+the pavilion.
+
+"Now comes the most interesting part of the story." Jerry glanced from
+one to another of her attentive little audience. "Three days afterward
+the postman left me a letter. The address was typed, so was the letter.
+When I opened it, I soon knew the writer. Here it is." Jerry produced a
+letter from a white kid bag she was carrying. "The distinguished writer
+of this letter is Leslie Cairns. I brought it along to read to you
+because what she has to say includes all of us. It's what I would call
+an open declaration of war. Listen to this:
+
+     "'Miss Macy:
+
+     "'Since you refused to listen to me the other day, I must resort to
+     pen and ink to make you understand that when I have anything to say
+     to a person I propose to say it. It isn't a case of what you want.
+     It is a case of what I want. To begin with, I knew all about you
+     and your pals before ever you came to Hamilton. My friend, Miss
+     Farnham, heard that you were to enter Hamilton and warned me
+     against all of you. I had you looked up, as I have powerful ways
+     and means of doing this.
+
+     "'As your friend, Miss Dean, the lying little hypocrite, had made
+     my friend, Miss Farnham, so much trouble at high school, I decided
+     to even her score for her. At first I did not intend to allow you
+     to enter Hamilton at all. When I say "you" I include those dear
+     chums of yours. My father could easily have arranged to keep you
+     out of Hamilton. Then I concluded it would be better to let you
+     come here and make things lively for you.
+
+     "'I proposed that call on you ninnies on your first evening at
+     college. We arranged matters so as to fuss you self-satisfied
+     freshies a little and keep you from your dinner. We didn't care
+     anything about meeting you, but we thought we might as well look
+     you over. Miss Weyman gave it out that she would meet your party
+     with her car on purpose to keep other students away. We wanted you
+     to be a little bit lonesome. When you said in your room, that you
+     saw Miss Weyman's car at the station, we thought perhaps you might
+     have seen through the joke. But you were so thick. You didn't.
+
+     "'Miss Weyman had no intention of wasting good gasoline on you. She
+     loaded her car with girls on purpose. There was no room to spare.
+     She stopped it above the station yard and stayed there until after
+     the train had come in. After a while she drove into the yard and
+     out again. Not one of us set foot on the platform. It was a clever
+     bluff and served you precisely right.
+
+     "'I haven't either the patience or the will to tell you all the
+     clever stunts we put over on you simpletons last year. Believe me,
+     when I say, it isn't a circumstance compared to what we intend to
+     do this year. You came back at us in March in a way we will not
+     forget or overlook. You think you are pretty strongly intrenched
+     because you and your crowd are quite pally with certain upper class
+     students who pose as wonders of smartness. Well, don't build too
+     much on your popularity. Popularity sometimes has a habit of
+     vanishing over night.
+
+     "'It seems too bad to be wasting time and paper on you, but I am
+     square enough to let you have the truth straight from the shoulder.
+     You girls have made us trouble from the start, and I predict that
+     it will not be long before Hamilton will be too small to hold your
+     crowd and mine. Your crowd will be the one to go; not the Sans. I
+     am not afraid to tell you this, because there is nothing in this
+     letter that you can get me on.
+
+                                                    "'Leslie Cairns.'"
+
+"That is so like Leslie Cairns." Leila's blue eyes flashed their
+profound contempt. "She loves to boast of her own ill-doing. She thinks
+it gives her a standing among her friends. She poses as being afraid of
+nothing and no one.
+
+"That is truly an outrageous letter!" Vera's voice rang with shocked
+indignation. "I wonder at her boldness in writing it."
+
+"Ah, but consider! It is a typed letter. Would you mind letting me look
+at the signature, Jerry?" Helen requested.
+
+"With pleasure." Jerry willingly surrendered the typed letter to Helen.
+
+The latter studied the signature shrewdly. "I don't think this is Leslie
+Cairns signature," she said, shaking her head. "That is about the way I
+thought it would be."
+
+"Humph!" Leila had evidently caught Helen's meaning. The others looked a
+trifle mystified.
+
+"But Leila just now said the letter sounded like Leslie Cairns!" Jerry
+exclaimed. "She wrote it. I am sure of that. Her name is signed to it.
+Why then----" Jerry stopped. "Oh, yes," she went on, in sudden
+enlightenment. "I begin to understand."
+
+"Of course you do," returned Helen. "In the first place," she explained
+to her puzzled listeners, "this letter has neither date nor place of
+writing. It is typed and signed 'Leslie Cairns,' but I am almost
+positive she did not sign it. She has either disguised her hand or
+another person has signed her name to it at her request, you may be
+sure. Object--if Jerry decided to make her any trouble at Hamilton over
+the letter, she would say she had nothing whatever to do with the
+writing of it."
+
+"It would take a whole lot of nerve to do that. After what happened last
+year, she could hardly hope to be believed." This was Muriel's view of
+the matter.
+
+"Still, if the letter were typed and not signed by her, there would be
+no proof that she wrote it unless someone had seen her write it." Helen
+argued. "We are positive she wrote it, because the contents of the
+letter tally with the Sans' attitude and actions toward Marjorie and you
+Sandfordites. Yet, what would hinder her from saying that some friend of
+yours, to whom you had told your troubles, or, that even one of you five
+girls wrote that letter, simply for spite? I do not say that she would
+do so. I only say she might. She is capable of it."
+
+"I agree with you, Helen. Leslie Cairns would stand before President
+Matthews and declare up and down that she never dreamed of writing such
+a letter, if it pleased her to do it." Leila spoke with conviction. "She
+took chances, of course, of being called to account for the statements
+she made in the letter. Undoubtedly, she had her whole course of action
+planned out before ever she wrote it. While she couldn't be sure you
+wouldn't make a fuss about it, because of the way Ronny brought the Sans
+to book last March, she could plan the best way to brazen it out if she
+got into difficulties over it.
+
+"Just imagine! She had a grudge against the Lookouts before ever she met
+them. Leila and I were always suspicious of the way Natalie Weyman
+acted about meeting you at the station. We could not fathom the object
+of such a performance. We both thought there was more to it than
+appeared on the surface." Vera nodded wisely.
+
+"And all on account of the maliciousness of Row-ena Farnham. Why, none
+of us had seen her for over two years! We supposed she belonged to our
+departed high school days." Muriel's tones betrayed decided umbrage.
+
+"You can make up your minds that I don't intend ever to serve on any
+reform committees--object, the betterment of the heathen; the Sans, I
+mean." Jerry made this announcement with a shade of belligerence.
+Unconsciously she turned her eyes toward Marjorie.
+
+Marjorie laughed. "I know what you are thinking, Jeremiah," she said,
+with quiet amazement. "Don't worry. I shall not suggest a reform
+movement here for the Sans' moral benefit."
+
+"Glad of it. Imagine me laboring patiently with that benighted heathen,
+Leslie Cairns, to help her to see herself as others see her," grumbled
+Jerry.
+
+"How much the Sans would enjoy being called the heathen," interposed
+Katherine Langly.
+
+"It's appropriate. When people behave like savages, they class
+themselves as such. It is a pity that we should be obliged to consider
+fellow students as enemies!" Jerry continued with vehemence. "Why
+should petty spite be carried to the point where it is a menace to the
+whole college? An institution for the higher education of young girls in
+particular should be free of such ignobility."
+
+"Fights and fusses are not conducive to the cultivation of a scholarly
+mind," Helen Trent agreed with mock solemnity.
+
+"They are not," returned Leila, with a strong Celtic inflection of which
+she, in her earnestness, was entirely unconscious.
+
+Naturally it evoked laughter. Leila's occasional slight lapses into a
+brogue were invariably amusing to her chums.
+
+"Laugh at my brogue if you wish, I will not break your bones," she said
+good-humoredly, making use of an ancient Irish expression. "I am most
+Celtic when serious. Ah, well! Perhaps it is petty in us even to be
+discussing the Sans, since we can say nothing good of them."
+
+"That is their fault; not ours," Lucy Warner said incisively.
+
+"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in their stars, but in themselves,
+that they are underlings," Vera aptly applied with a change of pronouns.
+
+"Quite right, my child. They began it. Not one of us, before the
+Lookouts came here to Hamilton, raised a voice against the Sans. We know
+the Lookouts did not. This letter Leslie Cairns wrote to Jerry means
+war to the knife, all this year. Unless, by good fortune, Miss Remson
+has won her point and they are not to come back to the Hall. With them
+out of Wayland Hall we might hope for peace. Put them in other campus
+houses, they would soon lose track of you girls and turn their bad
+attentions to or on someone else. Miss Remson has a strong case against
+them on account of the way they treated Marjorie." Such was Helen's
+opinion.
+
+Marjorie flushed at mention of the Sans' bad treatment of herself. She
+glanced at Ronny, who returned the glance with an enigmatical smile.
+Leila was staring at Marjorie, her face also a study.
+
+"Girls," Marjorie began, in her clear resonant enunciation, "I shall
+have to tell you something that only Ronny and Leila know. I told Leila
+only this afternoon. I asked Miss Remson not to mention the Sans'
+treatment of me in her complaint to the president. I had a long talk
+with her last June before college closed. I asked Ronny if she cared if
+I did so, because she had gone to the trouble of getting Miss Archer
+here and spared no pains to help me. All of you helped me, too, but
+Ronny and Miss Remson did the hardest part. Ronny said I must do
+whatever my conscience dictated. I felt that I did not wish to have
+anything to do with their leaving the Hall. If Miss Remson wins or has
+won her point against them, that's different. Last March, before we held
+the meeting in the living room, it seemed as if I could not endure being
+under the same roof with them. That feeling passed away. They were so
+utterly defeated. Miss Remson says she has enough insubordinate and
+really lawless acts on their part against them to warrant their being
+transferred to another campus house. She said it had been done
+occasionally in past years with beneficial results."
+
+"That means the Sans will be at the Hall again this year." Resentment
+burned briefly in Helen's eyes. Slow to anger, she was slower to
+forgive.
+
+"We don't know that yet," resumed Ronny. "All this happened last June.
+Miss Remson made her complaint then, I believe. She intended to, at any
+rate. Naturally, we could not ask her about the result, and she said
+nothing more about it before we went home. I think she will mention it
+to Marjorie and me. If she does we will ask if we may tell you girls who
+were interested in the affair of last March."
+
+"We'll know anyway, if the Sans appear bag and baggage," put in
+practical Lucy.
+
+"Yes; but I mean Miss Remson will tell us the details," returned Ronny.
+
+"Wherever the Sans live on the campus, our best way is to go on about
+our own affairs regardless of them. I hate to think of Hamilton College
+as a battle ground. I will fight for my rights, if I must, but I will
+ignore a worthless enemy as long as I can. We must make our plans for a
+happier Hamilton, which does not include the Sans. We must create a
+spirit of unity here that will discount cliques." Marjorie argued with
+deep earnestness. "If we fight, shoulder to shoulder, for the best, in
+time we shall attain it. It's our influence that will count. It may not
+be felt at once; gradually it will be. We need not expect the Sans will
+change their views. We must put them in the background by being true and
+kindly and honorable. Then their false standards will count for
+nothing."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+AN INVITATION TO AN "OFFICE PARTY."
+
+
+"I'm very, very sleepy, Jeremiah, but I shall try to keep awake for the
+chimes. It would be unkind not to greet my second friend tonight."
+Marjorie made these whimsical statements between yawns.
+
+"Wait for 'em, then, if you can," returned Jerry. "The minute my head
+touches the pillow I shall be dead to the world. You'll never keep
+awake. You are yawning now."
+
+"I shall," firmly avowed Marjorie. Tired out by the long railway
+journey, her eyes would close. Nevertheless she slipped into a silk
+negligee and curled up on the floor beside a window, to wait for the
+welcoming voice of her loved friend. The light in the room extinguished,
+the white moonlight touched her sweet face, lending it a new and wistful
+beauty. From her post at the window she could see Hamilton Hall, a
+magnificent gray pile in the moonbeams. The campus stretched away on all
+sides of it like an enchanted emerald carpet full of lights and
+shadows.
+
+Marjorie momentarily forgot her desire for sleep as she looked on the
+silent loveliness which night had enhanced. It filled her with all sorts
+of vague inspirations which she could sense but not analyze. She could
+only understand herself as being earnestly desirous of showing greater
+loyalty to her Alma Mater than ever before.
+
+Then upon her inspirited musings fell the voice of her old, familiar
+friend, clear and silvery as ever. She sat very still, almost
+breathlessly, listening to the clarion, welcoming prelude. Followed the
+measured stroke of eleven. "I am so happy to hear you again, dear
+friend. Good night." Marjorie rose, and, with a last, sleepy, but
+loving, glance at the fairylike outdoors trotted to her couch bed. She
+had scarcely found its grateful comfort before she was fast asleep.
+
+She awoke the next morning with the sunshine pouring in upon her to find
+Jerry, kimono-clad, standing meditatively beside her couch.
+
+"Why--um--what--where----" she mumbled. "Oh, goodness, Jerry! have I
+overslept? What time is it? That wall clock stopped last night just
+after we came in, and I forgot to wind it and set it again." She sat up
+hastily.
+
+"Be calm," replied Jerry, with a reassuring grin. "It is only five
+minutes to seven. I was wondering whether I could let you sleep fifteen
+minutes more. I'd decided to call you when you woke of your own
+accord."
+
+"I'd rather be up." Marjorie arose with her customary energy and reached
+for her negligee. "I have a lot to do today. Our trunks will be here by
+noon, I hope. I want to unpack and be all straightened out before the
+five o'clock train. Leila and Vera are anxious for us to go with them to
+meet it. We ought to meet it at any rate. We are both on the sophomore
+committee for welcoming freshies."
+
+Marjorie made this reminder with open satisfaction. During Commencement
+week, the previous June, the sophomore class elect had gathered for a
+special meeting. Its object had been to discuss ways and means of
+helping entering freshmen at the re-opening of college in the fall.
+Marjorie and Jerry had been appointed to it as Wayland Hall
+representatives, together with two students from Acasia House and three
+from Silverton Hall.
+
+"I imagine we are the only ones on that committee who have come back to
+Hamilton," Marjorie continued. "Oh, no; Ethel Laird is on it. Let me
+see. Grace Dearborn was the other Acasia House girl appointed. Blanche
+Scott, Elaine Hunter and Miss Peyton were the three from Silverton Hall.
+Ronny said none of them had returned."
+
+"I am almost sorry I did not make arrangements to have a car here this
+year." Jerry looked slightly regretful. "It would come in handy now.
+Still, I believe it is more democratic to do without one. Besides, I
+ought to walk rather than ride. It keeps my weight down. There is Ronny.
+She could have a dozen cars here if she wanted them. She won't have one.
+She is a real democrat, isn't she?"
+
+Marjorie nodded. "She is the most unassuming very rich girl I have ever
+known. I think if the Sans really knew her circumstances they would try
+to take her up, even after what happened last spring."
+
+"They would give it up as too hard a job about five minutes after Ronny
+found out what they were trying to do," predicted Jerry. "I have an idea
+that the Sans think we don't amount to much financially. My father is
+worth a whole lot of money, yet it's not generally known in Sanford. He
+never tried to keep it a secret, but you see we have never gone in for
+anything but the quiet family life. So people don't think much about us,
+except that we are old Sanford residents."
+
+"That is a fine way to live," thoughtfully approved Marjorie. "Well, I
+couldn't afford to have a car here if I wanted one ever so much. The
+majority of the girls at Hamilton are probably from families in about
+the same circumstances as the Deans. Leila said yesterday that about a
+third of the girls here last year had their own automobiles. She said
+she would have been terribly lonely during her freshman year if she had
+not had her car. She didn't send for it for quite awhile after she
+entered college. Vera sent for hers, too, and hardly drove it. Most of
+the freshmen they were friendly with had their own cars, so they seldom
+needed to drive both cars at the same time."
+
+As she talked, Marjorie had been leisurely but steadily gathering up her
+toilet accessories preparatory to making her morning ablutions. Jerry,
+who stood idly watching her chum, suddenly realized that time was on the
+wing.
+
+"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "Here I stand like a dummy when I ought
+to be hiking for the lavatory myself. We'll both be late for breakfast,
+in spite of my early rising, if we stop to talk any longer. After
+breakfast we had better 'phone the baggage master about our trunks.
+Otherwise they may forget all about us and not deliver them before
+tomorrow. I haven't the trusting faith in baggage masters that I might
+have."
+
+In the lavatory they encountered Muriel and Ronny. Lucy had already
+preceded them and gone to pay Katherine a morning call. Presently the
+Five Travelers and Katherine trooped down the wide stairway to
+breakfast, their bright, youthful faces and clear, laughing tones
+lending new life to staid Wayland Hall. At the foot of the stairway
+they met Miss Remson and hailed her with a concerted "Good morning."
+
+Her small, shrewd eyes softened, as she received the gay salute with a
+smile and returned it. Her liking for this particular sextette of
+students was very sincere.
+
+"Girls," she began abruptly, her smile fading, to be replaced by an
+expression of sternness, "Will you come into my office after breakfast?
+I have something to show you and also something to tell you." Her lips
+tightened to grimness as she made this announcement. "That's all." With
+a little nod she passed them and hurried on up the staircase.
+
+As she had been busily engaged with the affairs of the Hall on their
+arrival of the preceding afternoon, they had had opportunity only to
+greet her and be assigned to their old rooms and places at table.
+
+Entering the dining room, Vera and Leila called "Good morning" from the
+next table to their own.
+
+"Be with you in a minute," Leila informed them. "I've something to
+report, Lieutenant." This directly to Marjorie. During the Easter visit
+she and Vera had made Marjorie, she had taken delightedly to the army
+idea as carried out by the Deans. Afterward she frequently addressed
+Marjorie as "Lieutenant."
+
+"I know what it is," promptly returned Jerry. "So have we. We just saw
+Miss Remson. Is that what you are driving at?"
+
+"It is. Now what shall I do to you for snapping my news from my mouth?"
+Leila asked severely.
+
+"Maybe I don't know as much as you do, so you needn't feel grieved,"
+conciliated Jerry. "Come over here and we will compare notes. I may know
+something you don't know. You may know something I don't know. Think
+what a wonderful information session we shall have."
+
+Hurriedly finishing her coffee, Leila rose and joined the Lookouts. "I
+won't sit down," she declined, as Ronny motioned her to draw up a nearby
+chair. "Miss Remson asked Vera and I to stop at her office after
+breakfast."
+
+"She asked us, too. There, I took Jerry's news away from her. That pays
+up for what she did to you." Muriel glanced teasingly at Jerry.
+
+"Oh, go as far as you like." Jerry waved an elaborately careless hand.
+"Like the race in Alice in Wonderland: 'All won.' Perhaps one of you
+wise women of Hamilton can tell us if anyone else is invited to Busy
+Buzzy's office party."
+
+"Silence was the answer," put in Marjorie mischievously, as no one
+essayed a reply to Jerry's satirical question.
+
+"Helen ought to be," Jerry said stoutly. "She was with us to the letter
+last spring. I guess she'll be there. Miss Remson is fond of her."
+
+One and all the eight girls were experiencing inward satisfaction at the
+summons to Miss Remson's office. Confident that it had to do with the
+readmittance or denial of the Sans to Wayland Hall, they were glad that
+the odd little manager had chosen to give them her confidence.
+
+"I'm going over to the garage to see if the new tire is on my car. It
+blew out yesterday while I was driving it to cover after I left you
+girls. I'll be back by the time you girls have finished breakfast. Going
+with me, Midget?" Leila turned to Vera.
+
+"No, Ireland," she declined, with the little rippling smile which was
+one of her chief charms. "I am still hungry. I want another cup of
+coffee and a nice fat cinnamon bun. By the time I put them away you will
+be back."
+
+As Leila went out, Helen Trent appeared, a slightly sleepy look in her
+blue eyes. Her arrival was greeted with acclamation. Aside from Vera and
+Leila, the long pleasant dining room was empty of students when the
+Lookouts and Katherine had entered it. In consequence, they were more
+free to laugh and talk. The presence of the Sans in the room during
+meals quenched the spirit of comradarie that was so marked at Silverton
+Hall.
+
+"Have you seen Miss Remson?" was hurled at Helen in chorus. She dimpled
+engagingly and nodded her head.
+
+"I saw her last night after I left you girls. I had to have a new bulb
+for one of my lights."
+
+"Glad of it." Jerry beamed at Helen. She had not wished her junior
+friend left out of Miss Remson's confidence. "If she had not told you, I
+was going to ask her if you might be in on it," she assured.
+
+"Faithful old Jeremiah." Helen reached over from where she had paused
+beside the Lookouts' table and patted Jerry on the shoulder.
+
+"One might think you were addressing a valued family watch dog,"
+remarked Lucy Warner. Helen's dimples deepened. "You don't say much,
+Luciferous, but what you say is _amazin'_. I hadn't the slightest
+intention of ranking my respected pardner, Jeremiah, as an animal
+friend. With this apologetic explanation, I shall insist that you drop
+all such thoughts."
+
+"Oh, I did not say I thought so," calmly corrected Lucy. "I merely said,
+'One might think.'" Lucy's features were purposely austere. Her greenish
+eyes were dancing. Long since her chums had discovered that her sense
+of humor was as keen as her sense of criticism.
+
+Leila presently returned to find the breakfasters feasting on hot,
+old-fashioned cinnamon buns. These buns were a specialty at Wayland
+Hall, and, with coffee, were a tempting meal in themselves. Another ten
+minutes, and they left the dining-room en masse, bound for the little
+manager's office, there to learn what they might or might not expect
+from the Sans during the coming college year.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+LETTER NUMBER TWO.
+
+
+"Come in!" called a brisk, familiar voice, as Ronny knocked lightly on
+the almost closed door. Filing decorously into the rather small office,
+the nine girls grouped themselves about the manager's chair.
+
+"Take seats, friends," she invited. "Four of you can use the settee.
+There are chairs enough for the others. Will you see that the door is
+tightly closed, Helen. This matter is strictly confidential. It's rather
+early for eavesdroppers," she added, with biting sarcasm.
+
+"The door is closed, Miss Remson." Having complied with the manager's
+request, Helen seated herself beside Jerry on a wide walnut bench which
+took up almost a side of the room.
+
+"Thank you. You know, my dear young friends," Miss Remson began, with
+out further preliminary, "that, last March, after Miss Dean's trouble
+with the Sans Soucians, I expressed myself as being heartily sick of
+their lawless behavior. I stated then that I should take up the matter
+with President Matthews. I believed he would respect my point of view. I
+had made up my mind that I did not wish them to return to the Hall this
+year. Wayland Hall is the oldest and finest house on the campus.
+Naturally, it is hard to obtain board here. I have been here longer than
+any other manager of any other Hamilton campus house. I have rarely made
+complaint against a student. Miss Dean was anxious that I should not put
+her case before President Matthews. I could only respect her wishes, as
+the matter was strictly personal. There were many other reasons why the
+Sans Soucians, as they call themselves, were undesirable boarders."
+
+Miss Remson ceased speaking momentarily, as she separated a letter from
+two or three others on her desk.
+
+"These girls, of whom I disapproved, made the usual application to
+retain their rooms. I made a list of the undesirables and went over to
+the president's house to have a confidential talk with him. I have known
+him and his family for years. Unfortunately, he was not at home. He had
+been invited to make an address at the Commencement of Newbold, a
+western college for women, and would be away for a week. As his return
+would be so near Commencement here, I decided to write him and ask for an
+early appointment. I wrote to him as soon as he returned. He answered
+my note personally and made an appointment with me.
+
+"I laid my complaint before him," she continued, "and he was indignant
+at the way I had been treated. He asked me to leave with him the names
+of the young women against whom I had made complaint. He promised they
+should be reprimanded by him and notified to make other arrangements for
+this college year. Further, they would also be warned that any new
+complaints against them from another manager would mean a second summons
+to his office, with a more severe penalty attached.
+
+"I waited, expecting a storm when these girls received their
+notification and learned what I had done. I had not given them an answer
+regarding their rooms for next year, as I was waiting for Doctor
+Matthews to act. Judge my surprise when, five days after I had talked
+with the doctor, I received a cool note, dictated to his secretary,
+stating that he was inclosing a typed copy of a letter which he had
+received. He went on to say that, as there seemed to be as much
+complaint against me, by the young women of whom I had complained, he
+would suggest that we get together and try to adjust the matter at the
+Hall. He believed that the course I had requested him to pursue would
+result in such useless ill-feeling that he preferred not to adopt it.
+He had no doubt that an internal friction, such as appeared to exist at
+Wayland Hall, could be easily adjusted by me, if I adopted the proper
+methods. He wished the subject closed."
+
+"Why, that isn't a bit like Doctor Matthews!" exclaimed Helen. "He has
+the reputation of being a stickler for justice."
+
+"My dear, I know it," replied Miss Remson, in a hurt voice. "I felt
+utterly crushed after I had read his note. There was nothing more to be
+done unless I resigned. I did not wish to do so. I have every right to
+retain my position here. It is my living and I do a great deal for my
+sister's two sons, whom I am helping put through college. The copy of
+the letter, inclosed with the president's note, was written by Miss
+Myers. I shall read it to you verbatim."
+
+Unfolding the copied letter which she held in her hand, she hastily read
+the formal heading then went on more slowly:
+
+    "Dear Doctor Matthews:
+
+    "It has been intimated us that we are not to be granted the
+    privilege of remaining at Wayland Hall during our junior year.
+    We understand the reason for this injustice and wish you to
+    understand it also.  Miss Remson, the manager of the Hall, has
+    taken sides with a certain few students in the house who have a
+    fancied grudge against a number of young women whose interests I
+    am now representing.  Miss Remson has allowed these students to
+    place us in the most humiliating of positions; has even aided
+    and abetted them in putting us in a false light.  She has also
+    reprimanded us frequently for offenses of which we are not
+    guilty.  We are willing to overlook all this and try even more
+    earnestly in future to please Miss Remson.  This, in spite of
+    the harsh way in which we have been treated by all concerned.
+    We are not willing to leave the Hall.  We came here to live as
+    freshmen and we object to being thrust from it after two years'
+    residence in it.  We have been given to understand that
+    complaint against us is to be lodged with you by Miss Remson.
+    Will you not take up the matter summarily with her and see that
+    we obtain justice?
+
+                                                "Yours sincerely,
+                                                        "Joan Myers."
+
+A united gasp arose as Miss Remson finished the reading of Joan Myers'
+letter and laid it on the desk.
+
+"Can you beat that?" inquired Jerry, in such deep disgust everyone
+laughed. "Of all the cast-iron, nickle-plated nerve, commend me to the
+Sans."
+
+"Outrageous!" Leila's black brows were drawn in a deep scowl. "And they
+are clever, too," she nodded with conviction. "That letter is the kind
+a man of Doctor Matthews' standing detests. It gives the whole affair
+the air of a school-girl quarrel. Very hard on your dignity, Miss
+Remson," she glanced sympathetically at the little manager.
+
+"Not only that. I am practically cut off from my old friendly standing
+with the president." Miss Remson's usually quick tones faltered
+slightly. "I would not appeal to him for justice again if these lawless
+girls brought the Hall down about my ears. You can understand my
+position."
+
+She appealed to her youthful hearers In general. "It was my belief that
+you should be told this by me, as I had assured you last spring that I
+would not have these trouble-making, untruthful students at the Hall
+this year, if I could help it. They are coming back wholly against my
+will. We were into Commencement week last June when this occurred, so I
+said nothing to any of you. It would have been an annoyance to you
+during the summer every time you happened to recall it."
+
+"Who told the Sans that you weren't going to allow them to come back to
+the Hall?" was Marjorie's pertinent question. "I can answer for every
+one of us in saying that we never repeated a word outside of our own
+intimate circle."
+
+"That is a question I have pondered more than once during the summer,"
+Miss Remson responded with alacrity. "I did not suspect one of you for
+an instant. I do not see how anyone could have overheard the remarks I
+made on the subject, as I made them in this office with the door always
+closed. President Matthews is, of course, above suspicion. His secretary
+would not dare repeat his official business, even to an intimate friend.
+I mailed my letter to the president. It went through the postoffice.
+This precludes the possibility of it having been tampered with."
+
+"Perhaps the Sans guessed that you would refuse them admittance to the
+Hall this year because you called the meeting in the living room," was
+Muriel's plausible surmise. "You had had a good deal of trouble with
+them and they knew they were in the wrong; that you disapproved of them.
+They may have scented disaster and taken the bull by the horns. They
+calculated, perhaps, that you might appeal to President Matthews and
+thought they would secure themselves by reporting us and accusing you of
+favoritism."
+
+"That would be typical of the Sans," agreed Leila energetically. "Not so
+much Leslie Cairns. She bribes and bullies her way to whatever she
+wants. Joan Myers wrote the letter. She is considered very clever among
+her crowd. She may have made the plan. Dulcie Vale is too stupid and Nat
+Weyman is wrapped up in herself."
+
+"A clever letter, contemptible though it is," pronounced Veronica. "The
+writer has put a certain amount of force in it which passes for
+sincerity."
+
+"It reads as though she had been informed that Miss Remson was going to
+turn the Sans down and was honestly sore over it." Jerry added her
+speculation to Ronny's.
+
+"It is too bad!" exclaimed Helen Trent, indignantly. "I mean for you,
+Miss Remson. You can soon find out for yourself whether they simply
+guessed you were down on them or really had information. When the Sans
+come back to the Hall, if they are snippy and insolent from the start,
+that will mean, I think, that they had warning of it. If they are rather
+subdued and fairly civil, for them, then they only made a daring bluff
+and are not sure, up to date, whether their suspicion was correct."
+
+"Great head!" laughingly complimented Jerry. "There is nothing the mater
+with Helen's reasoning powers."
+
+Miss Remson nodded slowly as she considered Helen's words. "That is very
+likely the way it will be," she said. "The matter will have to remain
+closed, because President Matthews wishes it to be so. I shall not adopt
+his suggestion of a personal talk with these girls." A glint of
+belligerence appeared in her eyes. "I have been here at the Hall many
+years and seen many young women come and go. I am not a bad judge of
+girl character and motive. It will not take me long to fathom these
+girls' deceit in this affair, if the letter Miss Myers wrote was based
+on supposition. If, in some unprecedented manner, they really received
+information, then they must have learned the outcome of the affair from
+the same source. All I can do is to remain mute on the subject. They
+will, undoubtedly, ridicule me behind my back. If they attempt to
+belittle me to my face, I shall resign my position here." The humiliated
+little manager's lips compressed into a tight line.
+
+"I think the whole business is shameful; simply shameful!" burst forth
+Vera, her blue eyes flashing. "Imagine President Matthews taking such an
+extremely unjust stand!"
+
+"It is too bad you cannot go to him and have the matter out with him.
+No; I understand that you wouldn't, under the circumstances," Jerry
+added quickly, as Miss Remson made a hasty gesture of dissent. "I
+wouldn't either, if I were you."
+
+"I believe there is more to this than appears on the surface," Marjorie
+gave steady opinion. "We hardly know President Matthews, as we were
+merely freshies last year. Still he seems to be such a fine man. A man
+in his position ought to be above anything even touching on injustice."
+
+"There you are! 'Seems to be,' and 'ought to be,'" repeated Leila
+cynically. "May I ask you, Miss Remson, do you know the signature to the
+president's letter to you to be by his own hand? I would not hesitate to
+set a trumped-up letter down to the Sans' mischief-making bureau."
+
+"Yes; it is President Matthews' signature; unmistakably his," answered
+Miss Remson. "I am satisfied Doctor Matthews wrote the letter. It is
+written much as he would write if he were thoroughly annoyed. Neither
+Miss Myers nor her friends could write it. You spoke of there being more
+to this than appears on the surface, Miss Dean. Pardon me for
+disagreeing. I hardly think so."
+
+Marjorie never forgot the hurt look that crept into the manager's
+usually cheerful face as she bravely disagreed. It was as though she had
+caught a glimpse of the plucky little woman's grieving soul. She
+realized that Miss Remson had found it hard to give even them her
+confidence. She guessed also that the manager would be grateful if left
+to herself.
+
+"I know what it means to feel dreadfully hurt over something untrue that
+has been said of one, Miss Remson," she consoled in her sincere,
+gracious fashion. "That's the way it was with me last March. Thanks to
+my friends, the clouds blew away and the sun came out again. We are your
+true friends, and we would like to do as much for you as we know you
+have done for me, and would do for any of us who needed your support. We
+solemnly promise," she went on, turning to her chums for corroboration,
+"to regard your confidence as binding. Not one of us will forget the
+hurt that has been dealt you. We shall do our best to make it easier for
+you at the Hall by keeping clear of the Sans."
+
+"Miss Remson, I feel positive that Doctor Matthews will realize, later,
+what a serious mistake he has made. Sometimes the very finest men make
+just such blunders because they are irritated by something else
+entirely." Katherine spoke with deep conviction. "I acted as secretary
+one summer to a naturalist who was of that type."
+
+"There is one thing I intend to do." Lucy Warner spoke for the first
+time since entering the office. She had listened with the gravity and
+attention of a judge to all that had been said. "I shall make it a point
+to see what President Matthews' secretary looks like. A secretary has a
+good deal of opportunity to make trouble, if she chooses to make it. She
+knows so much of her employer's private affairs. I've been a secretary
+long enough to tell you that. She might have quietly told the Sans of
+Miss Remson's letter to the president, asking for an interview."
+
+"But, my dear child, I did not mention the object of my interview in my
+note to President Matthews," declared the manager. "The secretary would
+have nothing to tell these girls of any moment. She would naturally
+attach no importance to such a letter."
+
+"That is true." Lucy looked abashed for an instant. Her old shyness
+seemed about to settle down on her. She cast it off and sat up very
+straight, her green eyes gleaming with her initial purpose. "I believe I
+will look her up, at any rate. She might be a friend of the Sans."
+
+"Hardly," differed Muriel. "The Sans don't make a friend of a girl under
+the million mark, Lucy."
+
+"Unless it happens to suit their purpose," flatly contradicted Lucy,
+with no intent to be rude. "They are the very persons who would pretend
+friendship with a poor girl if they thought she would be useful to them.
+There are girls who would feel highly flattered to be taken up by them.
+I can't pass opinion upon this secretary until I have seen her. Perhaps
+not until I have seen her a number of times."
+
+"Luciferous Warniferous, the world's great private investigator."
+Despite the seriousness of the occasion, Muriel could not refrain from
+venturing this pleasantry.
+
+"You needn't make fun of me." Lucy laughed with the others. "It won't
+do any harm, at least, to view her from afar."
+
+"I thank you all for your interest in me and for your promise." Miss
+Remson surveyed the group of youthful sympathizers through a slight
+mist. "Don't keep this in mind, girls," she counseled. "It is better
+forgotten. I shall try to get along with this disagreeable flock of
+students with the least possible friction. If they take advantage of
+this victory, which they have gained unfairly, and attempt to override
+my authority at the Hall, I shall resign at once."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE GENUS "FRESHMAN."
+
+
+Leaving the manager's office, soon afterward, the nine girls would have
+liked nothing better than to repair to one of their rooms and discuss
+the subject of Miss Remson's grievances at length. All had the liveliest
+sympathy for the kindly official and longed to do something to prove it.
+Unfortunately, nearly all of them had work to do or engagements to keep.
+The Sanford contingent had their trunks to unpack as soon as they should
+arrive. They hoped that would be very soon. Katherine had made an
+engagement with Lillian Wenderblatt to go for a long walk. Leila and
+Vera were going to drive to the town of Hamilton to buy the where-withal
+for a spread to be given that evening in honor of Nella and Selma, who
+were expected on the five o'clock train. Helen being the only one with
+time on her hands, Leila advised her to join them on their quest for the
+most toothsome "eats."
+
+Contrary to Jerry's wet-blanket and extravagant prediction that the
+trunks would probably be delivered "around midnight," they arrived
+shortly before eleven o'clock, and an industrious season of unpacking
+set in. Determined to finish arranging their effects before four
+o'clock, they labored at the task with commendable energy and speed,
+stopping only for luncheon, which was eaten in some haste.
+
+"We certainly have hustled," Jerry congratulated, as she lifted the last
+remaining articles from the bottom of one of her two trunks and found
+place for them in her chiffonier. "I'm glad the job is done. We shall
+have lots of time to take it easy. Here it is, only Wednesday. College
+doesn't open officially until next Tuesday. We have nearly a week to
+ourselves."
+
+"We'll begin today to look after the freshies," planned Marjorie. "Then
+we must meet one train a day, if not two, until we are not needed any
+longer. I shall stick rigidly to that work on account of the welcome we
+were cheated of last September."
+
+"What are you going to wear to the train this afternoon?" Jerry
+inquired, critically inspecting two or three frocks she had laid out on
+her couch bed. She was uncertain which one to wear.
+
+"That one." Marjorie nodded toward a chair over which hung a one-piece
+frock of fine white linen. "I think white looks nicest when one is
+going to the station. I love to wear my white dresses as late in the
+fall as I can."
+
+"Then I'll wear white, too." Jerry immediately selected a pretty
+lingerie gown and sighed relief to have that matter off her mind. "I am
+going the rounds and tell the gang to wear white, by order of the Board
+of Suitable Suits for Auspicious Occasions. Back in a minute."
+
+Glancing at the clock, which showed ten minutes past four, Marjorie
+hurriedly slipped out of the pink gingham dress she had been wearing and
+took the white linen frock from the chair. She had been making leisurely
+preparations for the trip to the station while Jerry finished unpacking.
+
+"I can plainly see my finish." Jerry presently entered the room with a
+bounce, seized a towel from the washstand and bounced out again. She
+returned as breezily within a few minutes and continued her toilet at
+the same rate of speed. Leila had said: "Not one minute later than
+four-thirty," and Jerry did not propose to be left behind.
+
+"Are the rest of the crowd going to wear white?" Marjorie asked, giving
+her wealth of curly hair a final touch before the mirror.
+
+"Yes; but it's just a happen-so. Most of them were dressed for the
+auspicious occasion when I arrived on the scene. Their suits were
+suitable, so I beat it back here in a hurry. Please tie my sash for me,
+Marjorie, while I labor some more with my aggravating hair. I swear I
+will have it cropped like Robin Page's."
+
+"She'll have hers done up when she comes back," commented Marjorie,
+deftly complying with Jerry's request. "It was almost long enough to do
+up last June and she was proud of it."
+
+"I hope Robin comes in on the five o'clock train. I'd like to see her.
+Next to Helen, I like her best of the Hamiltonites."
+
+The entrance of Ronny, also in white linen, with the information that
+Muriel and Lucy had gone on down stairs to the veranda, cut short
+Jerry's remarks. The three girls reached the veranda at precisely
+four-thirty, to find Leila's and Vera's cars on the drive in readiness
+to start.
+
+Through the glory of late afternoon sunlight the two cars, each with its
+winsome freight of white-gowned girls, sped down the smooth pike past
+beautiful Hamilton Estates and on toward the station. Happy in the fact
+that she was now so perfectly at home at Hamilton, Marjorie smiled as
+she compared last year with the present. Yes; it was good to be a
+sophomore. Her new estate stretched invitingly before her. It was all so
+very different from the previous September. The splendor of the sunlit
+sky and the warm fragrance of the light breeze seemed indicative of
+pleasant days to come. Because she had missed a welcome on her arrival
+at Hamilton, she was ready to welcome doubly some other freshman
+stranger within Hamilton's gates.
+
+"Train 16, late, 40 minutes," was the dampening information which stared
+them in the face from the station bulletin board.
+
+"Forty minutes! Who cares to eat ice cream? Back into the buzz wagons,
+all of you. I like the taste of ice cream in my mouth better than the
+feel of those station boards under my feet for a long stretch of forty
+minutes. We can go to the Ivy, that little white shop on Linden Avenue.
+It is only two blocks from the station. We shall have time and to
+spare."
+
+Leila called the latter part of her remarks over her shoulder.
+Immediately she had read the notice she turned and started for the
+station yard. Her companions followed her with alacrity. They were no
+more in favor than she of a tedious wait on the platform for a belated
+train.
+
+"One of us had better call time," wisely suggested Helen, as they
+flocked into the pretty white and green tea room. "Otherwise we are
+likely to overstay our limit. We must be out of here ten minutes before
+the train is due. You had better, Luciferous. You are infallible."
+
+"Much obliged." A faint pink crept into Lucy's fair pale skin. Lucy was
+secretly proud of her own reliability. Turning her pretty gold wrist
+watch on her wrist so that she could see the face of it, she watched it
+with an eager eye from then on. The watch had been a gift to her from
+Ronny the previous Christmas, and was her most valued possession.
+
+Fortune favored them with prompt service on the part of a waitress. They
+had only comfortably finished their ice cream, however, when Lucy
+announced that it was time to go. Returning to the station platform,
+they found only a sprinkling of students awaiting the coming train.
+
+"What has become of Ethel Laird, I wonder?" asked Jerry. "I hope she
+hasn't forgotten she is on this welcoming committee. Suppose about
+twenty or thirty freshmen stepped off the five o'clock train. It would
+keep Marjorie and me busy chasing up and down this old board walk
+handing out welcomes."
+
+"Now where do you suppose we would be during that time?" demanded Leila.
+
+"Oh, you would be a help, undoubtedly," conceded Jerry, with a boyish
+grin. "I forgot about you folks. I was merely thinking of us from our
+committee standpoint. We'll have to guess whether these arrivals are
+freshies or not. I don't know all the Hamilton students and where they
+belong. It will be about my speed to walk up to some timid-looking
+damsel and gallantly offer my assistance only to find out she is a proud
+and lofty senior."
+
+"There are few faces at Hamilton which I don't know," Leila assured.
+"Behave well and stick to me and I'll promise you will not do anything
+foolish. I can pick a freshie from afar off."
+
+"Miss Remson told me yesterday that she understood there were one
+hundred and ten freshmen applications this year," said Katherine. "We
+are to have three freshies at Wayland Hall."
+
+"One hundred and ten democrats would help our cause along," remarked
+Lucy. "Only we need not expect any such miracle."
+
+"With the start we now have, if even half of the freshmen were for
+college equality, it would be a hard blow to the Sans. I wish it might
+be like that." Vera clasped her bits of hands, an unconsciously pretty
+fashion of hers when she earnestly desired something to come to pass.
+
+"The Sans will fight for every inch of the ground this year. See if they
+don't," Katherine Langly spoke with half bitter conviction. "Do you think
+for an instant that they will sit still and see democracy win? Leslie
+Cairns loves power. Joan Myers is determined to have her own way.
+Natalie Weymain is vain. Dulcie Vale is vindictive. Evangeline Heppler
+and Adelaide Forman are thoroughly disagreeable. Margaret Wayne is
+malicious and scandalously untruthful. There! That is my candid opinion
+of those seven students. I have always longed to express it."
+
+"I see you have found your tongue. I congratulate you." Leila beamed
+approval of such refreshing frankness on the part of quiet little
+Katherine.
+
+"We had better enter a conspiracy to spend our spare time rushing
+freshies," proposed Helen. "When they are with us they will be out of
+mischief."
+
+"First catch your hare," advised Muriel. "Maybe the freshies would not
+take kindly to the continuous round of pleasure we arranged for them. I
+don't believe there is any one infallible method of winning them over."
+
+"Oh, I wasn't serious," Helen said, with her roguish, indolent smile.
+"While I don't object to helping the great cause along, I am not
+yearning to become a polite entertainer. I'd probably be a most impolite
+one before the end of a week, if I had to rush freshies as a steady
+task. I am afraid few of them would turn out to be as amiable,
+beautiful, jolly, delightful, agreeable and companionable as good old
+Jeremiah here."
+
+"An awful waste of adjectives," was Jerry's terse reception of this
+extravagant tribute to herself. "Here comes the train." Despite her lack
+of sentiment, she flashed Helen a smile of comradeship.
+
+The belated express thundered into the station with a force which shook
+the platform. Instinctively the scattered groups of persons on the
+platform drew back a trifle as the first three coaches shot past. It was
+a long train and it did not take more than a second glance down its
+length to note that the last coach was quite different from the others.
+
+"Private car!" Leila's low exclamation held more than surprise. It was
+sarcastically significant. "Behold the Philistines are upon us," she
+continued in pretended consternation.
+
+"We needn't mind a little thing like that," Jerry assured with a genial
+smile. "They won't be met and fussed over by us. I wonder where the mob
+is who ought to be at the station to greet these celebrated geese?"
+
+"They certainly chose a poor day for a triumphal return." Muriel
+indulged in a soft chuckle at the Sans' expense. She broke off in the
+middle of it with a jubilant cry of, "Girls; there's Hortense just
+getting off the train three coaches up the platform!"
+
+"Hooray! Nella and Selma are with her!" This from Leila, whose eyes had
+picked up dignified Hortense Barlow descending the car steps immediately.
+Muriel had cried out. Following her were the two juniors of whom Leila
+and Vera were so fond.
+
+The unwelcome Sans entirely forgotten, Leila, Muriel and Vera headed an
+orderly rush up the platform. All of the station party were anxious to
+give the three juniors a hearty reception. Marjorie and Ronny happened
+to be the last of the little procession. The former bore in mind her
+chief object in coming-to the station and kept a sharp lookout for
+freshmen.
+
+Just as they reached the edge of the group which had closed in about the
+three arrivals, Marjorie's searching eyes spied a small, flaxen-haired
+young woman with wide-opened blue eyes and a babyish expression, coming
+toward her. The latter was burdened with a heavy seal traveling case and
+a bag of golf sticks. She had evidently emerged from the coach behind
+the one from which Nella and her two companions had come. As she
+advanced, she gazed about her with a slightly perplexed air.
+
+"Pardon me." Marjorie had stepped instantly to her side. "Are you a
+freshman? I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class, and hope I can be
+of service to you. I am one of a sophomore committee to welcome arriving
+freshmen."
+
+"Oh, thank you. Delighted, I'm sure, to know you, Miss Dean." The
+newcomer's conventionally courteous tone conveyed no particular
+enthusiasm. "Yes; I am a freshman. At least, I hope so. I have one exam.
+to try. I flunked in geometry at the prep school I attended last year.
+Had a tutor all summer. Guess I'll scrape through this time."
+
+"I hope you will," Marjorie made sincere return. She half offered a hand
+to the other girl. The latter did not appear to see it. She clung
+tightly to her bag of golf sticks and traveling case. Far from paying
+undivided attention to Marjorie, her wide blue eyes roved over the
+platform, the light of curiosity strong within them.
+
+"Hamilton must be a slow old college if it can't show more of a station
+mob than this," she remarked, almost disdainfully. "I mean it must be
+rather well--humdrum. I was at Welden Prep last year. It is a mighty
+lively school. It takes the Welden girls to properly mob the station.
+Oh, we were a gay crowd, I can tell you! Awfully select, you know, but
+really full of life."
+
+"You will find Hamilton lively enough, I believe. It is early yet. A few
+of us are back earlier than usual. Not more than a fifth of the students
+have returned yet." Marjorie's tone was kindly. She made a patient
+effort to keep reserve out of it. Her first impression of the
+dissatisfied freshman was not pleasing.
+
+"Oh, I see, I am glad there is hope." The girl gave a vacant little
+laugh. "I do so hate anything slow or poky or stupid. I had supposed
+Hamilton to be very smart and exclusive, or I wouldn't have chosen to
+come here."
+
+"It is a very fine college. There is no better faculty in the country,
+and the college itself is ideally located. You cannot help but love the
+campus. At which house are you to live?" Marjorie chose not to discuss
+Hamilton from the freshman's point of view.
+
+"Alston Terrace. Is it an interesting house to live in? Where do you
+live? Are the garage accommodations good? I shall have my own car here;
+perhaps two. How far is it from the station to the campus?"
+
+The stranger hurled these questions at Marjorie all in a breath. The
+latter's inclination toward secret vexation increased rather than
+diminished. Her freshman find was showing somewhat Sans-like tendencies.
+
+"All the campus houses are interesting. I live at Wayland Hall. There
+are several garages in the vicinity of the college. It is about two
+miles from the station to Hamilton. If you will come with me, I will
+introduce you to some of my friends. A number of us came to the station
+together; some of us to meet friends expected on this train. Miss Macy,
+my room-mate, and myself are on the committee. Let me help you with your
+luggage."
+
+Marjorie deftly possessed herself of the bag of golf sticks which the
+freshman now surrendered willingly, and led the way to the part of the
+platform where her companions had gathered around the three juniors.
+
+"Here she is!" exclaimed Vera, as she approached. "Aha! Now I know why
+you left us all of a sudden!" She smiled winningly at Marjorie's
+companion, who allowed the barest flicker of a smile to touch her
+slightly pouting lips.
+
+"Girls, I would like you to meet Miss----" Marjorie stopped, her color
+rising. The stranger had not volunteered her name at the time when
+Marjorie had introduced herself. She turned to the freshman with an
+apologetic smile. "Will you tell me your name?" she asked pleasantly.
+
+"Oh, certainly. My name is Elizabeth Walbert." As she spoke her restless
+eyes began an appraisement of the group of girls whom Marjorie had
+addressed.
+
+"Miss Walbert, this is Miss Mason, Miss Lynne, Miss Harper----" Marjorie
+presented her friends in turn to the newcomer, then said: "Please make
+Miss Walbert feel at home among us, while I greet our famous juniors."
+
+"Oh, we knew you wouldn't forget your little friends," laughed Selma,
+"particularly the Swedish dwarf." Selma, who stood five feet nine, had
+bestowed this name upon herself, she being the tallest of the four girls
+who had chummed together since their enrollment at Hamilton.
+
+Having warmly welcomed the trio, Marjorie realized Jerry was missing.
+She glanced quickly up and down the platform in search of her. She
+finally spied her coming down the platform with a plainly-dressed girl
+whose pale face, under a brown sailor hat, bore the unmistakable stamp
+of the student. In one hand she carried a small black utility bag of
+very shiny material. The other hand grasped the handle of a large straw
+suitcase. Jerry carried the mate to it. Her plump face registered
+nothing but polite attention to what her companion was saying. She was
+marching her freshman along, however, at a fair rate of speed. Not so
+far to their rear the Sans had detrained. Their high-pitched talk and
+laughter could be heard the length of the platform, as they gathered up
+their luggage and prepared to march on Hamilton. Jerry proposed to be
+safely in the bosom of her friends with her find before that march
+began.
+
+"Come along, children. Let's be going. The choo-choo cars are getting
+ready to choo-choo right along to the next station. Look as I may, I see
+no more arriving freshies--except the one Jeremiah is now towing toward
+us." Leila added this as she saw Jerry. "We'll delay our going in honor
+of the freshie."
+
+Next instant Jerry had joined them and was introducing Miss Towne, of
+Omaha, Nebraska, as the stranger had shyly declared herself. Amidst the
+crowd of dainty, white-gowned girls, she looked not unlike a dingy
+little brown wren. Miss Walbert eyed her with growing disapproval and
+gave her a perfunctory nod of the head. Immediately she turned her
+attention to the on-coming Sans whom she had already noticed. Her face
+brightened visibly as she watched them. While she had reluctantly
+decided that her new acquaintances were as well dressed as she, and
+carried themselves as though of social importance, their kindly
+reception of a girl who was clearly a dig and a nobody displeased her.
+The very manner in which the other group of girls were advancing made
+strong appeal to her. They were more the type she had known at Welden.
+
+Marjorie felt an imperative tug at her arm. "Who are those girls? They
+came from that private car. They are so much like my dear pals at
+Welden." Elizabeth Walbert's babyish features were alive with animation.
+
+"They are juniors. I have met a few of them. I can't really say that I
+have an acquaintance with any of them." Marjorie could think of nothing
+else to say of the Sans. She did not care to go into detail regarding
+them.
+
+"We go down those steps over there to reach the yard where two of my
+friends have parked their cars," she continued, with intended change of
+subject. Her companions were already moving toward the flight of stone
+steps. Miss Walbert still stood watching the approaching company of
+smartly-dressed girls.
+
+"Pardon me. What did you say?" The absorbed freshman spoke without
+looking at Marjorie. "I think I have met one or two of those girls.
+Summer before last, at Newport, I met a Miss Myers and a Miss Stephens.
+We had quite a lot of fun together one afternoon at a tennis tournament.
+Yes, I am sure those are the same girls. I met them afterward at a
+dinner dance."
+
+By this time the party had come within a few feet of where Marjorie and
+her annoying freshman find were standing. Marjorie felt the warm color
+flood her cheeks as a battery of unfriendly eyes was turned upon her.
+Her chums had already disappeared down the stairway, unaware that she
+had been left behind. She could hardly have conceived of a more
+disagreeable situation. Miss Walbert, however, was quite in her element.
+She had done precisely what she had intended to do.
+
+"Excuse me, I must really speak to my friends. I'll probably go on to
+the college with them. Thank you so much."
+
+With this Miss Walbert stepped hurriedly forward and addressed Joan
+Myers. "How do you do? You are Miss Myers whom I met at the Newport
+tennis tournament, I believe. So surprised to see you here and so
+pleased."
+
+Joan Myers stared hard at the speaker before replying. She recognized
+her as the girl she had met at Newport on the occasion mentioned. She
+also recalled the second meeting at the dance and acted accordingly.
+
+"How are you?" she returned affably, extending her hand. "Of course I
+remember you. Strange I can't recall your name. I met you at the Newport
+tournament and afterward at Mrs. Barry Symonds' dance. Are you going to
+enter Hamilton? So pleased, I am sure. Won't you join our party? You
+seem to be--er--well out of your proper element." Joan added this with
+insulting intent.
+
+Marjorie had stepped back as Miss Walbert had stepped forward. Her first
+impulse, in consideration of the cavalier dismissal she had received,
+had been to turn and walk away. Courtesy prompted her to wait a moment,
+thus making sure the freshman was accepted as an acquaintance by Joan
+Myers and Harriet Stephens. She had barely turned away as she heard Joan
+Myers say, "Won't you join our party?" She could, therefore, hardly help
+hearing the remark which followed.
+
+She went without attempting even a farewell nod. She was not hurt over
+the ill-bred manner in which she had been treated. She was disgusted
+with the other girl's utter shallowness. She was also visited by a sense
+of dull disappointment. Hurrying to overtake her own party, she
+discovered she was still carrying the freshman's golf bag. In the
+annoyance of the moment she had forgotten all about it. Bravely she
+decided to return it at once and have it off her hands immediately. She
+was half way down the steps when she made this resolve. She quickly
+remounted the stairs. From the top step she could see the Sans, standing
+where she had left them. Four or five juniors whom she had seen on the
+platform before the train came in, were with them now.
+
+"Is this the way to the station yard?" inquired a soft little voice at
+her elbow. "Can I get a taxi there that will take me to Hamilton
+College?"
+
+Marjorie turned quickly to meet the questioning gaze of two velvety
+black eyes. The owner of the soft voice and black eyes was a girl no
+taller than Vera. She had a small, straight nose and a red bud of a
+mouth. Her hair, under the gray sports hat which matched her suit, was a
+blue black, so soft as to be almost feathery. As she surveyed the pretty
+stranger, Marjorie's recent pang of disappointment left her. Here, at
+least, was a freshman more after her own heart.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE SANS' NEW RECRUIT.
+
+
+"If you will wait just a moment or two I will show you the way to the
+station yard. I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class. I am down here
+today purposely to help incoming freshmen. I had one in tow a few
+minutes ago, but she met some acquaintances of hers and joined them. I
+carried off her golf bag and must return it. She is over there."
+Marjorie nodded toward the group. "Pardon me. I'll return instantly."
+
+"Thank you, ever so much. I shall be glad to wait for you," sweetly
+responded the newcomer. "I am Barbara Severn, of Baltimore."
+
+Marjorie stopped to acknowledge the introduction, then onerous as was
+the task, she went staunchly to it. Luckily for her, Miss Walbert stood
+at the edge of the group, momentarily neglected by her chosen
+acquaintances. They were busily engaged with their junior classmates.
+
+"Here is your golf bag, Miss Walbert. I forgot to give it to you when I
+left you." Her tone evenly impersonal, it carried a note of reserve
+which the other caught.
+
+"Oh, thank you. I--that is--I forgot about it, too." She attempted a
+smile as she reached out to take it from Marjorie's hands.
+
+"You are welcome." A slight inclination of the head and Marjorie was
+gone.
+
+Elizabeth Walbert watched the graceful figure in white across the
+platform. Certainly this Dean girl was awfully good style, she
+reflected.
+
+"What did mamma's precious pet want with you?" For the first time, since
+acknowledging an introduction to Elizabeth, Leslie Cairns had
+condescended to address her.
+
+"Nothing, except to return this. She carried it and forgot to give it to
+me when I shook her. I am glad she didn't wait and bring it over to
+Alston Terrace. I don't care much for that type of girl. She's priggish
+and goody-goody, isn't she?" Miss Walbert promptly took her cue from
+Leslie.
+
+While the babyish-looking freshman regarded Leslie with a perfectly
+innocent expression, there was lurking malice in her wide blue eyes. She
+had not liked the dignity Marjorie had shown when returning her
+property. It rankled in her petty soul. With the gratitude of the
+proverbial serpent, she was quite ready to sting the hand which had
+befriended her.
+
+"I'll say she is," returned Leslie. "I can't endure the sight of her and
+she knows it. You noticed she did not stay long. Lucky you knew Joan and
+Harriet. I'd be sorry for you if you had been roped in by that crowd of
+muffs." She laughed disagreeably.
+
+"It would take more than that crowd of muffs, as you call them, to rope
+me in," boasted the other girl. "I saw at once they were not the kind
+that make good pals. Not enough to them, you know. Besides, I prefer not
+to be too friendly with a stranger until I know her social position."
+
+Leslie Cairns regarded her meditatively, then held out her hand. "Shake
+hands on that," she invited. "You seem to have some sense. I hope you
+will stick to what you have said. If you do, you may count yourself a
+friend of mine. You will find, after you have been at Hamilton a while,
+that my friendship amounts to a good deal."
+
+"Oh, I am _sure_ of that," emphasized the freshman. She was not sure at
+all. What she had shrewdly taken stock of was the cut and material of
+the English tweed sports suit Leslie was wearing. It was a marvel of
+expense. It was conspicuous, even among the smart traveling suits of her
+companions. So were her sports hat and English ties. Leslie's assured
+manner also impressed her. She decided that this exceedingly ugly but
+very "swagger" girl must be a person of importance at Hamilton.
+
+Unmistakable gratification looked out from Leslie Cairns'
+roughly-chiseled features at the freshman's flattering response. Like
+the majority of the unworthy, she craved flattery. Since she had been
+denied physical beauty, she built her hopes on attracting admiration by
+her daring personality. During her freshman year at Hamilton she had
+acquired a certain kind of popularity by her high-handed methods.
+Possessed of an immense fortune, and in her own right, she had acquired
+tremendous power over her particular clique by reason of her money.
+Leslie never "went broke." The majority of the Sans received liberal
+allowances from home and spent them even more liberally. Leslie was a
+good port in time of storm--when she chose to be. Once under obligation
+to her, she was quite likely, if crossed, to let her debtor feel the
+weight of her displeasure.
+
+"Did that Miss Dean have anything to say about us?" Leslie casually
+inquired. Finding herself admired, she preferred to cultivate her new
+acquaintance rather than devote her attention to those of her class who
+had come down to the train.
+
+"She said--let me see." Miss Walbert knitted her light eyebrows in an
+elaborate effort at recollection. "She said she had never met any of
+you girls and she didn't care for an acquaintance with you. I had
+asked who you were because I wanted so much to know you. I recognized
+you girls at once as my kind. Just to see your dandy crowd coming along
+made me homesick for dear old Welden. I palled with a crowd like that at
+prep."
+
+"Our little angel, Miss Bean,--I always call her Bean instead of
+Dean,--doesn't care what she does with the truth," sneered Leslie. "Last
+fall we came down to the train to meet her crowd. We knew they were
+greenies from a little one-horse town called Sanford. They were to be at
+the same campus house as we. A few of us thought we would try to help
+them. We took my friend, Miss Weyman's, car and went to the station.
+Missed 'em by about two minutes. They hired a taxi. We felt mortified
+and went around to this Miss Dean's room to apologize. We were almost
+frost-bitten. They were so rude I felt ashamed for them. Afterward they
+started a lot of lies about us that made trouble for us at the Hall."
+
+"My goodness!" fluttered Miss Walbert. "I had a narrow escape, didn't I?
+I will take pains to steer clear of that whole crowd. I don't know
+whether I would recognize most of them if I happened to meet them on the
+campus. I would certainly know Miss Dean."
+
+"Where are you going to live?" Leslie dropped back into her usual
+indifferent drawl.
+
+"Alston Terrace. I have an exam. in math. to try. I'm pretty sure of
+staying, though. Is Alston Terrace as nice as the house where you are?
+What did you say the name of your house was? Could I change and get in
+there?" There was suppressed eagerness in the last question.
+
+"You could not." Leslie regarded the questioner with a superior smile.
+"I live at Wayland Hall. Our crowd live there, too. It's the best house
+on the campus, and hard to get into. It has two drawbacks; an idiot of a
+manager, and dear Miss Bean and her crowd. We have made complaint
+against the manager and she may have to go. She's a hateful old fossil
+and shows partiality. We can't do much about this crowd of which I've
+been telling you, unless they do something very malicious against us.
+Just let them start anything, though----" Her small black eyes narrowed
+unpleasantly.
+
+At this juncture Natalie Weyman appealed to her to corroborate a
+statement she had just made to one of the juniors who had come down to
+the train to meet the Sans. Natalie had not been too busy with her
+friends to note that Leslie had condescended to show interest in the
+freshman. She, therefore, decided to break up the conversation going on
+between them. It was bad enough to have Lola Elster to contend with.
+She did not propose to allow this forward little snip, as she mentally
+characterized Miss Walbert, any leeway toward Leslie's favor which she
+could prevent.
+
+"She doesn't like me and I don't like her," was the freshman's
+conclusion. When speaking to Leslie, Natalie had regarded her out of two
+very cold gray-blue eyes. The polite smile which had touched her lips
+was suggestive of frost.
+
+It was the last thing needed to fire Elizabeth Walbert's ambition toward
+an intimate friendship with Leslie Cairns. She resolved that she would
+not only be chums with Leslie. Sooner or later she would take up her
+residence at Wayland Hall. She had always been clever at obtaining
+whatever she desired. To attain a residence at the Hall might not be so
+very difficult. At least it was worth the effort. She did not care who
+might be shoved out in order to make room for her.
+
+Meanwhile Marjorie had safely conducted her second venture in freshmen
+to the spot where a knot of girls stood patiently awaiting her tardy
+appearance. Helen alone was missing, having gone into the town on an
+errand.
+
+"Where were you? We thought you were right behind us. What has become of
+your blonde freshie? We knew something had happened," was the reception
+which greeted her and her charge.
+
+"Do blondes change to brunettes in the twinkling of an eye?" laughed
+Leila, her blue eyes resting very kindly on Marjorie's pretty companion.
+
+"They do not. Miss Walbert deserted me. She knew Miss Myers and Miss
+Stephens. She went with them." Marjorie made the explanation in a calm,
+level voice which did not invite present questioning.
+
+"Then we can't count her in with this select aggregation," Vera said
+dryly. "Helen's gone, too, but her going was legitimate."
+
+"Ah, well. We have gained one and lost one. Let us run off with our gain
+before someone happens along and coaxes her away from us. Might we not
+know her by name?" Leila turned to Marjorie with a wide ingratiating
+smile. The stranger was already regarding Leila with open amusement.
+
+"You shall know her by name at once. You don't have to remind me to
+introduce her," retorted Marjorie. "I'll present you to her first of
+all. Miss Impatience, I mean Miss Harper, this is Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore." Marjorie again went through the ceremony of introduction,
+this time with smiles and whole-heartedness.
+
+"We are thirteen in number, but who cares?" Leila announced. "Seven to
+one and six to the other car, Midget. As we aren't in the jitney
+business we won't come to blows over the one extra fare."
+
+While they were disposing themselves in the two automobiles for the ride
+to Hamilton College, the sound of high-pitched voices announced the
+arrival on the scene of the Sans. Three of the juniors who had elected
+to meet them had driven their own cars to the station. Thus the
+illustrious Sans did not have to depend on the station's taxicabs.
+
+While Leila would have liked to drive off in a hurry rather than
+encounter at such close range the girls she so heartily despised, she
+moved, instead, with the utmost deliberation. She was just climbing into
+the driver's seat when the small but noisy procession of young women
+came opposite to her car. Vera sat ready to start, her slender hands
+resting idly on the wheel as she waited for Leila's signal. The
+occupants of both cars, save for the freshman from Baltimore, were
+making a commendable effort to appear impersonal. Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore, was innocently interested in the newcomers from the fact that
+they were also students of Hamilton College.
+
+Aside from considerable laughter, which sounded too pointed to be
+impersonal, the party of arriving juniors strolled past. Among the last
+came Leslie Cairns. She had insisted on walking with Elizabeth Walbert,
+greatly to Natalie's vexation. As she lounged past Leila's car she cast
+an insolent glance at the Irish girl. Leila returned it with an
+expression so inscrutably Celtic that Leslie hastily removed her gaze to
+Jerry, who sat beside Leila. She glared an intensity of ill-feeling at
+Jerry, which the latter longed to return, but did nothing worse than
+look blank.
+
+Leila drove her car almost savagely around the station yard and out into
+the wide avenue. Sight of the Sans, particularly Leslie Cairns, had put
+her momentarily in a bad humor. Her virile Irish temperament forbade her
+to do other than love or hate with all her strength of being. She hated
+Leslie as energetically as she adored Marjorie.
+
+"That Miss Walbert makes me sick," was Jerry's incensed comment as they
+bowled smoothly along the avenue. "I'd like to know just what happened
+to Marjorie. Of course she will tell us later. The idea of that little
+shrimp marching past us as though we were a collection of sign posts,
+particularly after we had treated her so decently. It's a good thing she
+showed her mettle from the start. Did you notice the way she snubbed my
+freshman?"
+
+"I did. How, may I ask, do you happen to be out here with me instead of
+sitting faithfully in the tonneau beside your find?" quizzed Leila.
+
+"Oh, Katherine and Lucy took her away from me. I guess I scared her. She
+is in Vera's car with them. If you don't enjoy my society, stop the
+buzz buggy and I will get out and walk. I may lose a pound or two, even
+if my feelings are hurt."
+
+"It is here you'll stay. Tongue cannot tell how much I enjoy your
+society," Leila extravagantly assured. "I see you are liking the Sans a
+little less than ever. I am of the same mind. Did you see Leslie Cairns
+look at us; first at me, then you? I did not expect them back so soon.
+For all their private car they met with a tiny reception. Four or five
+juniors; that is quite different from two years ago."
+
+"Maybe they've come back early to be on the scene and get a stand-in
+with the freshies," cannily suggested Jerry. "Wouldn't it be funny to
+see us and the Sans down at the station every day, grabbing the freshies
+as they came off the train, like a couple of jitney drivers?"
+
+Leila laughed. "They will never go that far. That would take some
+kindness of heart and consideration. If they rushed the incoming
+freshies just to spite us, they would soon sicken of their project. They
+are like the bandarlog in Kipling's Jungle books, they gather leaves
+only to throw them into the air."
+
+"Some of them will take a trip up into the air this year if they don't
+mind their own affairs," threatened Jerry. "The freshman crop was small
+today. We garnered two and the Sans one. I suppose there were some
+others who were met by students besides ourselves. Marjorie thinks we
+ought to meet two trains a day, at least. The rest of our committee
+ought to be here. We could divide up the trains among us. You and Vera
+are really doing the work of the absent members."
+
+"Say nothing about it. There is little to do this week. Vera and I were
+talking last night. We should have done this last year. We did not."
+Leila shrugged disapproval of her own former lack of interest in the
+welfare of other students.
+
+"Leila," Marjorie leaned forward and called out, "Miss Severn is going
+to Acasia House. Do you know where Miss Towne is to go?"
+
+"Somewhere off the campus," returned Leila. "Vera has her and her
+address. We are to take her to her boarding place first."
+
+Miss Towne's boarding house turned out to be a modest two-story brick
+house about half a mile off the campus. It was one of a scattered row,
+there being only a few houses in the immediate vicinity of the college.
+Muriel and Katherine helped her to the door with her luggage. Her
+friendly escort called her a cordial good-bye from the automobiles,
+after promising to look her up as soon as she should be fairly settled.
+She went to her new quarters in a daze of sheer happiness, feeling much
+as Cinderella must have when she unexpectedly found a fairy God-mother.
+
+Acasia House being Miss Severn's destination, the two cars wound their
+way in and out of the beautiful campus driveway. At the center drive
+they separated, Vera taking her car straight to Wayland Hall on account
+of Selma, Nella and Hortense. Muriel went with them, declining to be
+parted from her recently regained room-mate.
+
+Leila drove slowly toward Acasia House, endeavoring to give their
+freshman charge full opportunity to see the campus in its early autumn
+glory. Brimming with eager enthusiasm, Marjorie pointed out the various
+halls, the library, the chapel and the campus houses. She was pleased to
+find her freshman no less enthusiastic than herself over the campus
+itself. Marjorie took that as another good sign. No one who was really
+sincere at heart could fail to be impressed by the campus.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+HER FATHER'S METHODS.
+
+
+"There is just one thing about it. We have _got_ to get busy." Leslie
+Cairns made this announcement with special emphasis on the word "got."
+Her face wore an expression of sullen determination. "Those Sanford
+goody-goodies are out to do us."
+
+"Out to do us?" repeated Natalie Weyman, with questioning inflection.
+"What do you mean, Les? I failed to see any particular triumph on their
+part this afternoon. They merely marched off with a seedy-looking
+freshie or two. No one we wanted." Natalie shrugged her disdain of the
+Lookouts' capture. "Too bad that simple-acting Walbert creature didn't
+stay with dear Miss Bean. We could live without her. I have no use for
+that girl."
+
+Leslie's eyes narrowed. She banged her dessert spoon on the table with a
+vicious clang and thrust her chin forward.
+
+"Probably _you_ haven't, Miss Jealousy," she sneered. "I fail to see
+anything simple about Miss Walbert. She has three times as much sense as
+certain persons I could name."
+
+"Meaning me, I suppose." Natalie's tone was equally sneering. She was
+white with anger, principally at having been called "Miss Jealousy."
+Leslie had often privately accused her of being jealous-hearted. This
+was the first time she had ever taunted her so openly of it.
+
+"Won't you two _please_ stop scrapping?" begged Margaret Wayne in a
+tired voice. "I thought we came to the Colonial for a pleasant evening.
+It has been anything but that, with you two snarling back and forth at
+each other like a couple of tigers at the Zoo."
+
+"Much obliged for the compliment," flung back Natalie in frost-bitten
+accents.
+
+"Oh, you are entirely welcome." Margaret laid provoking stress on the
+"welcome."
+
+"Looks as if the scrap might be trusted to you, Wayne. You certainly can
+hold up your end of it." Leslie called her friends by their last names
+merely to be insolent. "Anyone can fuss with Nat, you know. She has the
+sweet disposition of a very sour pickle most of the time."
+
+"Since that is your opinion of me, I am surprised you ever cared to be
+friends with me at all." Very near to tears, Natalie managed to preserve
+an offended dignity which had more effect upon Leslie than any
+sarcastic retort might have had. Nor was Natalie unaware of this.
+Momentarily angered, she had made a strenuous effort to choke back the
+biting words just behind her lips. She always remembered one cold fact
+in time. It never paid in the long run to quarrel with Leslie.
+
+"Oh, you are not so bad when one has grown used to you," Leslie
+patronizingly conceded. "Excuse me for losing my temper and telling you
+the plain truth about yourself."
+
+Natalie's color rose. She hated Leslie's patronizing insolence more than
+she hated her open vituperation. She would have liked to say that she
+was amazed to learn that Leslie ever told the plain truth about
+anything. Prudence warned her to let the quarrel drop.
+
+"I accept your apology, Leslie," she said with great sweetness, entirely
+ignoring the sting of Leslie's remarks.
+
+"What?" Leslie stared. A faint snicker arose from two or three of the
+other girls. "You seem to have recovered your wits again, Nat," she said
+with elaborate carelessness. "We are quits, I guess, for the present."
+
+"Thank goodness!" This from Joan Myers. "Now that peace has been
+restored, perhaps you will condescend to tell us what you started out
+to say, Leslie."
+
+"De-lighted." Leslie bowed ironically. "To jump into the middle of the
+subject at once, I asked you seven Sans to this party tonight for a
+purpose. We eight girls are the founders of the Sans. I told all the
+other Sans that I wasn't going to ask them here tonight, and not to get
+their backs humped about it. I promised 'em a big party at the Ivy
+Saturday night. There is a private dining room there with a long table
+that will seat the whole eighteen of us. I don't know whether they liked
+it or not, and I don't care. It was up to us to talk things over and let
+them into it afterward."
+
+"Some of the girls had other engagements anyway," put in Joan Myers. "I
+know Anne Dawson and Loretta Kelly were invited to a senior blow-out at
+Alston Terrace."
+
+"Well, that's neither here nor there," retorted Leslie somewhat rudely.
+It did not please her to learn that any of the Sans had received more
+attention from the seniors than herself. Thus far she had not been the
+recipient of an invitation to dine from a senior. She was still inwardly
+sore at the lack of attention they had met with on their arrival at
+Hamilton station.
+
+"I don't think it is a very good policy for we eight founders of the
+Sans to keep to ourselves too much," deprecated Dulcie Vale, regardless
+of Leslie's views on the subject. "The whole eighteen of us will have to
+stick together and work hard if we expect to keep the upper hand of
+things here at Hamilton."
+
+"Oh, forget it," ordered Leslie brusquely. "Your trouble is easy to
+explain. You are sore because I didn't invite Eleanor, your pal, to this
+dinner."
+
+"I am not," stoutly contradicted Dulcie. Nevertheless her sudden flush
+belied her words.
+
+"Of course you are," went on Leslie imperturbably. "Understand, I didn't
+_want_ the rest of the gang here tonight, and that's that. What I
+started out to say when Nat and Joan and Margaret and you butted in, one
+by one, was this: We must bestir ourselves and make a fuss over the
+freshies. This year's freshman class is, I'm told, the largest entering
+class for ten years. I don't feel like bothering myself with the diggy,
+priggy element of freshies, but even they will have to be considered.
+I'd do anything to spite that Sanford crowd and upset the progress they
+have made against us."
+
+"What progress have they made, I'd like to know?" demanded Harriet
+Stephens scornfully. "If you mean the way they got back at us for
+ragging Miss Dean, I think that was _simply disgraceful_ in them to call
+a meeting as they did and blacken our standing at Wayland Hall. It is a
+wonder we managed to keep our rooms at the Hall after all the row they
+made about a little bit of ragging."
+
+"We kept them, just the same, and you may thank Joan and I for it,"
+significantly reminded Leslie. "I know old Remson is so sore at us she
+could snap our heads off. The funny part of it is, she will never know
+how cleverly we blocked her little game. That reminds me. I don't want
+the rest of the Sans to know the way we worked that scheme. Eight of us
+in the secret is enough. Remember, if it ever got out we would be all
+through at Hamilton College."
+
+"Do you believe we would be expelled, Les?" asked Dulcie Vale, looking
+worried.
+
+"I don't believe it. I _know_ we would. Nothing could save us. Never
+mind being scared, though. No one will ever know the rights of our plot
+unless some one of you girls here is silly enough to tell it. That's why
+I am cautioning you to be careful."
+
+"Leslie is precisely right about that," Natalie Weyman hastened to
+agree. "We shall have to be very careful what we do this year. I think
+that a little missionary work among the freshies would be a good thing
+for all of us. Later on we can drop them if they grow to be too much of
+a bore."
+
+"They will take care of themselves as they get used to college,"
+predicted Leslie. "If some of 'em turn out to be really smart, like Lola
+Elster, for instance, then we needn't be slow about running with them.
+_You_ think, Nat, that I have a crush on that Miss Walbert." Leslie
+turned directly to Natalie. "I have not. She is just the person I need,
+though, to carry out a plan of mine. Joan and Harriet both say that the
+Walberts have millions. They have a wonderful place at Newport. So Mrs.
+Barry Symonds told Joan. What did you say the Walbert's place was
+called, Joan?"
+
+"Evermonde," furnished Joan promptly. "I was sorry I didn't go and call
+on the kid, particularly after I found out who she was. I only met her
+twice at the tag end of the season."
+
+"What I want her for," continued Leslie with slow emphasis, "is the
+freshman presidency."
+
+"Some modest little ambition," murmured Evangeline Heppler.
+
+"Um-m! Well, rather!" agreed Adelaide Forman. "How do you propose to
+make it happen, Les?"
+
+"Leave that to me. I'm not prepared to tell you yet. I only know that it
+has to happen. It will give us a good hold on the freshies." Leslie's
+loose-lipped mouth tightened perceptibly. "We'll have to do some clever
+electioneering. I expect it will cost money. I don't care how much it
+costs, so long as I win my point."
+
+"You mean we must rush the freshies?" interrogated Margaret Wayne.
+
+"Yes," nodded Leslie. "Cart them around in our cars. Blow them off to
+dinners and luncheons. Begin tomorrow to go down to the station and grab
+them as they come off the train."
+
+"Deliver me from the station act." Joan Myers made a wry face.
+
+"You'll have to go to it with the rest of us," insisted Leslie with a
+suggestive lowering of brows. "This is really serious business, Joan. I
+don't intend to sit still and see a bunch of muffs like those Sanford
+girls run Hamilton College. We had things all our own way until they
+came upon the scene. Nothing has been as it should be for us since then.
+They have turned a lot of upper class girls against us. I don't mean
+Leila Harper and her crowd. They never had any time for us. There are a
+good many Silverton Hall girls of our social standing, but they went
+almost solid against us in that Miss Reid affair last year. Who was to
+blame for that? Those Sanford busybodies, you may be sure."
+
+"I believe it was that Miss Page who started the Silverton Hall gang,"
+differed Dulcie Vale, with a touch of sulkiness. She was still peeved at
+Leslie and now delighted in expressing a contrary opinion.
+
+"I don't care what _you_ believe," mimicked Leslie disagreeably. "I say
+it was the Sanford crowd who started the trouble."
+
+"Say it, then. Sing it if you like," retorted Dulcie. "I am privileged
+to my own opinion."
+
+"Keep it to yourself, then. I don't care to hear it," coolly returned
+Leslie. "You girls make me weary. You are all so ready to start fussing
+over nothing."
+
+"You are just as ready!" burst forth Dulcie, in a sudden gust of anger.
+"You think we all ought to do precisely as you say and never have an
+opinion of our own. I fail to see why I, at least, should be bossed by
+you. It isn't we girls that are at fault. It is you. I like you, Leslie,
+when you don't try to run everything. When you begin bullying, I can't
+endure you. Please don't attempt to bully me, for I won't stand it."
+
+"There is one thing about it," broke in Harriet Stephens decidedly, "we
+shall not accomplish much if there is no unity among us. So far as I am
+concerned, I would rather have Leslie take the lead. I will never
+forgive the Sanford crowd for what they did to us last March. If Leslie
+can find ways to get even with them, I am willing to do as she says,
+simply to see those hateful girls defeated in whatever they set out to
+do."
+
+"That is the proper spirit," approved Leslie. "Believe me, I know what I
+am saying when I tell you that we must fight those girls and put them
+in the background where they belong. The way to begin this year is to
+win over the freshies. The minute it is known we are interesting
+ourselves in these greenies' welfare, our popularity will take a jump
+upward. Every one of you can either give me your promise tonight to help
+or keep away from me the rest of the year. Think it over. Don't promise
+and then go to grumbling behind my back about it. If you do, I'll be
+sure to hear it."
+
+"It will be rather good fun to play angel to the freshies for a change,"
+said Evangeline Hepper. "We might have a picnic some Saturday, or give a
+hop for them. Have it understood, of course, that it was the Sans
+Soucians who were to be the hostesses."
+
+"We can decide better what to do after we have met a few of the
+freshmen," returned Leslie. "I hope there won't be many of those
+beggarly-looking girls who come into college on scholarships or scrape
+their way through without a cent above their expenses. They are so
+tiresome. That Miss Langly, of our class, is a glowing example of what I
+mean."
+
+"She is very high and mighty since the Sanford crowd took her up, isn't
+she?" shrugged Natalie.
+
+"She always was, for that matter," said Adelaide Forman. "Those girls
+have praised her and babied her until she is a good deal more
+infatuated with herself than she used to be."
+
+"That is another reason I have for wanting to get back at them,"
+asserted Leslie. "You all know the snippy way she acted when we asked
+her to change rooms with Lola. Worse still, she had to go and tell her
+troubles to the Sanford crowd. They started right in to tell everyone
+how brilliant she was and how shabbily we had treated her. Then the
+Silverton Hall girls took it up and spread the news abroad that Langly
+had won a scholarship no one else had been able to win for twenty years.
+That sent her stock away up and we had to stop ragging her or be
+disliked. I shall not forget that little performance in a hurry."
+
+"They certainly put one over on us with that miserable old beauty
+contest, too." Natalie's voice quivered with bitterness.
+
+"Leila Harper was to blame for that, Nat. She is the cleverest girl at
+Hamilton. We made a serious mistake in the beginning about her. They say
+her father has oodles of money." Joan looked brief regret at the mistake
+the Sans had made in not cultivating Leila.
+
+"We never could have got along with her," Leslie said decidedly. "I am
+glad we never took her up. I detest her and Vera Mason, too, but not
+half so hard as I do Miss Bean and her satellites." Leslie invariably
+said "Bean" instead of Dean in derision of Marjorie.
+
+She now paused, her heavy features dark with resentment. The
+independence of Marjorie Dean and her friends was a thorn to her flesh.
+Each time she had attempted to injure them she had been ingloriously
+defeated. She was determined, this year, not only to win back and
+maintain her former leadership at Hamilton College, but also to crush
+the rising power of the girls she so greatly disliked.
+
+"Are you going to let the rest of the Sans in on this station business?"
+inquired Harriet Stephens.
+
+"Naturally; we need them to help us out. Don't get the idea I am trying
+to keep the other girls out of our plans. I am not. It's like this. The
+eight of us ran around together at prep school before we took the rest
+of the girls into our crowd. We have always been a little more
+confidential among ourselves because we are the old guard, as you might
+say. Of course they know all about our troubles with Miss Bean and her
+pals. They went through them with us. What we must keep to ourselves is
+this Wayland Hall affair. We saved their rooms for them. They know that.
+They don't need to know the exact process by which we did it, do they? I
+merely told them that I thought I could get my father to fix up matters
+if there was any trouble started. They let us do all the worrying over
+it. I guess we have the right to keep it to ourselves. That settles
+you, Dulcie. You can quit sulking because I won't allow you to tell
+everything you know to Eleanor. Remember it is to your own precious
+interest not to."
+
+Leslie delivered herself of this long speech very much as her father
+might have addressed himself to a group of his business lieutenants. It
+was received with a certain amount of respect which was always accorded
+her by her chums when she adopted her father's tone and manner. They
+were all still more or less uneasy over the method which she and Joan
+had employed to save them their residence at Wayland Hall.
+
+"Leslie, do you think we will ever have any trouble about--well--about
+what you and Joan did?" questioned Evangeline Heppler rather uneasily.
+
+"Not unless you let someone outside this crowd into the secret. The only
+other person who knows it would not dare tell it. She would deny knowing
+a thing about it to the very end. Don't worry. That is past. It won't
+come up again. We are safe enough. It is up to us now to put the enemy
+on the back seats where they belong and regain the ground we lost last
+year. I repeat what I said awhile ago. We have _got_ to get busy."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+FRESHIE FISHING.
+
+
+The result of Leslie Cairns' rallying of her companions to her standard
+was made manifest when a fairly lengthy procession of automobiles,
+driven by Sans sped along the smooth roads to the station on the
+following Friday morning.
+
+While Leslie was not at all on good terms with Miss Humphrey, the
+registrar, she had other sources of information open to her regarding
+college matters which were by rights none of her affairs. It was,
+therefore, easy for her to learn how many of the freshman class had
+registered and govern herself accordingly. With the tactics of a general
+she went the rounds of the Sans, ordering them to be on hand all day
+Friday with their cars, provided these highly useful machines in the
+campaign had arrived on the scene. At least half of the Sans were
+already in possession of their own pet cars, these having been driven to
+Hamilton by the chauffeurs of their respective families. Nine
+automobiles accordingly went to swell the procession that sunny Friday
+morning and the Sans were in high feather as, two to a car, they set out
+on their self-imposed welcoming task.
+
+Leslie had decreed that they were to meet every incoming train of
+importance that day and spare no pains to make themselves agreeable to
+the newcomers. In case the freshman yield was small, they were to use
+their judgment about being friendly with returning students of the upper
+classes.
+
+"If we can't fill our cars with freshies, you girls all know just about
+who's who at Hamilton. Don't pick up a soph, junior or senior unless you
+are sure that it will be to our advantage to do so. Keep an eye out for
+faculty. Nothing like being on the soft side of them."
+
+Such was Leslie's counsel to her followers who were entering the
+campaign with a malicious zest infinitely gratifying to her. While the
+other eight cars contained two occupants apiece, Leslie's pet roadster
+held a third passenger. Leslie had elected to invite Elizabeth Walbert
+to share the roadster with herself and Harriet Stephens. This was not in
+the least to Natalie Weyman's liking. Her own car having arrived, she
+was obliged to drive it. She had not emerged from her cloud of
+resentment against the officious Miss Walbert, nor was she likely to.
+
+Meanwhile the faithful little committee, truly devoted to freshman
+welfare, was blissfully unaware that their duties were about to be
+snatched from them by the predatory Sans. The absent members of the
+committee having arrived, the seven girls held a meeting on Thursday
+evening in Marjorie's room, dividing the trains to be met among them.
+Marjorie and Jerry were to be reinforced by Leila and Vera. The others
+had also certain friends among the sophs, juniors and seniors who could
+be relied upon to help them.
+
+Marjorie and Jerry having been detailed to meet the ten-twenty train
+from the west each morning, Vera and Leila never failed to be on hand
+with their cars by nine o'clock. This permitted of a delightful spin in
+the fresh air over the many picturesque drives in the vicinity of
+Hamilton College. Always punctual, Leila never failed to get them to the
+station in plenty of time for the train.
+
+Driving into the station yard on this particular Friday morning, the
+sight of a line of shining automobiles caused them to blink in momentary
+astonishment.
+
+"The Sans!" muttered Leila, giving vent to her usual whistle of
+surprise. "Now what are the heathen up to? Look at that line of cars!
+Almost every color except violet. What do you make of that?"
+
+"They must expect a delegation of their own friends," guessed Marjorie.
+"A lot of upper class girls are expected at Hamilton today."
+
+"Freshies, too," added Leila, as she brought her car to a stop and
+prepared to alight. "Miss Humphrey told me she thought a large part of
+the freshman class would be in on Friday and Saturday. I was complaining
+to her of how few we had landed in the past week."
+
+By this time Jerry and Vera were both out of Vera's car and had come
+quickly up to Marjorie and Leila.
+
+"Can you beat it?" saluted Jerry. "We think the Sans have come freshie
+fishing. What do you think?"
+
+"Little Miss Charitable thinks they may be down here to meet their own
+friends," remarked Leila with a mischievous glance toward Marjorie. "You
+guileless infant! Don't you know what has happened? The Sans are going to
+do just what some of us said the other night they wouldn't take the
+trouble to do. They have gone into the welcoming business."
+
+"One, two, three----" Vera had begun to count the colorful array of
+automobiles. "Nine machines." She turned to Leila with a little laugh.
+"It shows which way the wind is blowing, doesn't it?"
+
+"We are going to have some fun with them this year," predicted Leila
+with a touch of grimness. "They are beginning to be afraid of losing
+their glory or you would never see them down here welcoming freshmen."
+
+"Let's get along and take a look at our rivals," suggested Jerry
+humorously. "I suppose they will all be dressed to kill. Too bad they
+can't appear in full evening dress. That would be so much more
+impressive."
+
+"I am not going to let them bother me," announced Marjorie placidly.
+"The kind of girls we are specially on the lookout to help will not be
+their kind. They will pick out the smartly-dressed ones and leave the
+humble ones, if there are any, to us. After all, there are not very many
+poor students at Hamilton. I suppose it is because of the high tuition
+fees and the expensive board here."
+
+"We had better hustle along. Hear that?" Jerry; raised a hand for
+attention. "That is the train whistling."
+
+Without further delay the quartette hurriedly sought the stairs and
+reached the platform a moment or two before the train appeared in
+sight.
+
+"I shall not be sorry when our committee duties end," Marjorie said with
+a faint sigh. "It seems as though about all I have done since I came
+back to Hamilton is to meet trains. I have a lot of things to do for
+myself that I haven't had time to think about. I haven't arranged my
+study programme either."
+
+"Cheer up. Tomorrow will end it," consoled Vera. "There will be some
+stragglers next week, of course, but today and Saturday will see the
+most of the students here."
+
+"Look at the Sans." Leila arched her brows and drew down the corners of
+her mouth. "Hmm! Posted all along the platform with General Cairns in
+the most prominent place. And do my eyes tell me lies! Isn't that girl
+hanging on her arm the freshie you lost the other day, Marjorie?"
+
+"Yes, it is Miss Walbert." Marjorie instantly identified the fickle
+freshman.
+
+"You never said a word to any of us about what happened the other day
+except that she knew Miss Myers and left you," Jerry said. "I meant to
+ask you about her afterward and I forgot it. Was she snippy with you?"
+
+"No-o; not exactly snippy." A faint smile rose to Marjorie's lips. "She
+wasn't satisfied to stay with us. The minute she caught sight of the
+Sans she wanted to be with them. Then she found she knew Miss Myers and
+Miss Stephens, and she simply walked off and left us."
+
+"She's a first-class snob, isn't she?" persisted Jerry.
+
+"Yes, she is," Marjorie responded truthfully. "Frankly I am not sorry
+she left us. I seldom dislike a girl on sight, but I did not like her. I
+found it hard work to be polite to her. There was something about her
+that jarred on me dreadfully."
+
+The arrival of the train cut off further conversation for the moment.
+The four girls turned their attention to watching the little stream of
+girls that issued from the several cars. Greatly to their amusement the
+Sans behaved somewhat after the manner of taxicab drivers eagerly
+soliciting fares.
+
+"We stand small chance with the freshies today, unless we can line up
+beside the Sans and call out our merits," laughed Leila.
+
+Marjorie smiled absently, only half hearing Leila's remark. Her eyes
+were roving up and down the platform in an effort to pick up any girl
+whom the Sans might deliberately choose to overlook. She saw no one. The
+considerable number of girls who had descended the car steps were being
+taken in tow by the new self-constituted reception committee. The
+clanging of bells and the sharp blast of the whistle proclaimed the
+train to be ready to move on. The Sans and their finds were already
+turning their back upon it.
+
+Several yards below where she was standing, Marjorie suddenly spied a
+lithe, girlish figure coming down the car steps almost at a run,
+burdened though she was by a traveling bag and a suitcase. At the bottom
+step she lost her grip on the leather bag and it rolled onto the
+platform. Instantly Marjorie hurried to her, followed by Jerry. Leila
+and Vera were genially shaking hands with two seniors who were also
+behind the main body of the crowd in leaving the train.
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed a dismayed voice, as the traveler's feet found the solid
+platform.
+
+Marjorie had already recovered the leather bag. Nor was she a second too
+soon. Joan Myers had lagged behind her companions to talk to a senior
+who had just come off the train. She had also seen the solitary arrival.
+She had not failed to note the girl's ultra smart appearance and
+consequently decided to take charge of her. Utterly ignoring the fact
+that Marjorie had retrieved the rolling grip, Joan grandly held out her
+hand to the newcomer.
+
+"Freshman?" she inquired, in sweet tones. "So glad to welcome you to
+Hamilton. Do let me help you. A number of my friends and myself are
+making a point of welcoming freshman arrivals. Just come with me and I
+will see that you are taken care of."
+
+Forgetful for the fraction of an instant of the gracious rôle she was
+essaying, Joan flashed Marjorie a contemptuous glance. It said more
+plainly than words: "You are not wanted here."
+
+Well aware of it, Marjorie stood her ground. She was still in possession
+of the bag. Joan's interruption had given her no time either to greet
+the traveler or return her property.
+
+"Thank you. I am expecting a cousin of mine to meet me." The girl
+responded courteously, but with a trace of reserve. "Perhaps you know
+her. She is Miss Page of Silverton Hall."
+
+"I know who she is. I believe I have met her." A dull tide of red
+mounted to Joan's cheeks. "So long as you are to be met by _her_ I won't
+intrude. So pleased to have met you, I'm sure." With this hasty and
+insincere assurance, Joan beat a rapid retreat, leaving Marjorie, Jerry
+and the freshman to their own devices.
+
+"I don't believe she can be a very intimate friend of Robin's," calmly
+commented the girl, a slightly mocking light in her pretty blue eyes.
+
+"She isn't," was Jerry's blunt answer, "but we are. If you are willing
+to take our word for it, we shall be glad to see you to Hamilton
+College. I heard yesterday that Robin was back, but we haven't seen her
+yet. I am Geraldine Macy and this is my friend Marjorie Dean."
+
+"I have heard of both of you from Robin. I spent two weeks with her at
+Cape May this summer. Now I know I am in the hands of friends. Tell you
+the truth, I didn't like that other girl a little bit. I hadn't the
+least intention of toddling along with her. I was glad I had Robin for
+an excuse. I really thought she would meet me. As you haven't seen her
+since you heard she was back, that means she certainly isn't around here
+now. I think that tall, red-faced girl was awfully rude to thrust
+herself upon me when she could plainly see that you were holding my
+bag." She now addressed herself to Marjorie.
+
+"I made up my mind to hang on to the bag until I had a chance to speak
+to you." Marjorie evaded passing opinion on Joan. "Jerry and I are on
+committee to welcome freshmen. This morning a crowd of juniors came down
+to the station for that purpose. We did not have any luck
+freshie-fishing. The juniors caught them all, with the exception of
+yourself."
+
+"I came near being carried on to the next station," laughed the girl. "I
+dropped my coin purse and couldn't find it. I was frantic, for I had
+stuffed some bank notes into it and naturally didn't want to leave the
+train without it. It had rolled under the seat just in front of me. By
+the time I found it the train was ready to start and I had to hustle. I
+nearly took a fall on that last step, but saved myself by letting my bag
+go instead of me. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Phyllis Marie
+Moore, at your service, and when we all get past the Miss stage you may
+like to call me Phil. I used to be a terrible tomboy until I grew up. I
+am a rapid fire talker. I love to talk and I have very strong likes and
+dislikes. Let me see. Oh, yes. I say outright whatever I think, whether
+it sets well or not. Those are the main points about me, I guess. You
+may now discard me or take me to your heart; just as you please," she
+ended with a merry little laugh.
+
+"We shall be delighted to begin cherishing you immediately," Marjorie
+gaily assured.
+
+Jerry was quick to add to the assurance. Given also to very positive
+likes and dislikes, she had already taken a great fancy to Robin's
+lively cousin. She had a shrewd opinion that it would not take Phillis
+Marie Moore long to make a prominent place for herself in the freshman
+class.
+
+Leila and Vera now joined them, in company with the two seniors, who
+were going to the campus in Vera's car. Leila claimed the privilege of
+conveying the freshman arrival at Silverton Hall, her destination. Once
+there, Miss Moore's three upper class guardians were given a vociferous
+greeting by a bevy of jubilant girls.
+
+"You bad old goose!" was Robin Page's affectionate censure as she hugged
+her tall, boyish cousin. "Why didn't you wire me?"
+
+"I did," returned Phyllis. "You'll probably receive it tomorrow. That
+will be so nice, won't it, to get a wire that I am on the way when I'm
+already here?"
+
+"You fell into good hands, anyway," Robin beamed on the trio of Wayland
+Hall girls. "Do you notice anything different about me?" she asked
+anxiously of them all. Very carefully she turned her head so that the
+small knot of hair at the nape of her white neck could be seen. "I am a
+real grown-up young person now!" she proudly exclaimed. "I can do up my
+hair."
+
+"You are that," Leila agreed in her most gallant Irish manner. "It is
+now that we shall have to begin to treat you with proper respect."
+
+"See that you do," retorted Robin. "Right away quick I am going to treat
+you folks to luncheon. You must stay. It will be ready in a few minutes.
+Come up to my room and we can hold an impromptu reception until the bell
+rings. The Silvertonites are all anxious to see you. As sophs we have a
+duty to perform. We must try hard to impress my freshman cousin. Do
+telephone Ronny, Lucy, Muriel and Vera to come over. You can run 'em
+over in your car, Leila, in a jiffy."
+
+"Many thanks for Vera's and my invitation. We can't accept, for we have
+a luncheon engagement at Baretti's with two seniors. I must be hurrying
+along or I'll be late. I'll send the girls back in my car. Any of them
+can drive it."
+
+Leila took hurried farewell of her friends and drove off at top speed.
+True to her word, it was not long before her car swung into sight again
+driven by Ronny. The three new arrivals were received with the same
+heartiness which had been extended to Marjorie and Jerry. By the time
+they appeared, Robin's large square room was overflowing with girls.
+
+Once more in the genial atmosphere which always pervaded Silverton Hall,
+the petty worries and annoyances of the past week fell away from
+Marjorie. She entertained a momentary regret that she had not chosen
+Silverton Hall as a residence in the beginning. She and her chums would
+have found life so much pleasanter there.
+
+Then the face of kind little Miss Remson rose before her. She realized
+how very fond she had grown of the upright, sorely-tried manager. She
+reflected, too, that, if the Lookouts had not gone to Wayland Hall to
+live, it would have been much harder for Katherine Langly. Neither would
+she have known Leila, Vera, or Helen Trent intimately. Besides, she
+loved Wayland Hall and its beautiful premises best of all the campus
+houses. It had been Brooke Hamilton's favorite house. Miss Remson had
+once told her this. In spite of the difficulties the Lookouts had
+encountered at the Hall, Marjorie wondered if, perhaps, they had not
+gravitated to it for some beneficient, hidden purpose which only time
+might reveal.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+WINNING OVER THE FRESHMEN.
+
+
+As Vera had predicted, Saturday brought to Hamilton a goodly number of
+freshmen. Though the faithful reception committee was strictly on duty
+that day, the Sans relieved them of a large part of their conscientious
+task. They were even more in evidence than on Friday. Greatly to the
+surprise of Marjorie and her companions, they laid themselves out to be
+democratic. They rushed every young woman who bore freshman earmarks
+with a zeal which might have been highly commendable had it been
+sincere. Out of the considerable number of freshman arrivals that
+Saturday, Marjorie and her committee captured not more than half a
+dozen.
+
+"The end of a perfect day, I don't think," grumbled Jerry. The
+five-fifty train had come and gone. Though the seven sophomores had all
+been on duty, not one of them had a freshman to show for it.
+
+"I'm glad it is over," Marie Peyton said wearily, as the nine disgusted
+workers strolled to their waiting cars. "I suppose the Sans thought we
+would contest the ground with them. I wouldn't be so ill-bred. Come on
+over to the Colonial for dinner. I hereby invite you. We need a little
+pleasant recreation to offset this fiasco. Next year, no committee duty
+for me. I have had enough of it."
+
+"How many freshies do you think they have captured altogether?" asked
+Blanche Scott.
+
+"Oh, sixty or seventy, at least," was Elaine Hunter's guess. "They have
+been down to every train for the last two days. Between trains they have
+hung around the Ivy and that other tea shop just below it. I don't
+recall the name. It opened only last week."
+
+"The Lotus," supplied Jerry. "The funny part of it is the way Miss
+Cairns has marched that Miss Walbert around with her. They seem to be
+very chummy.
+
+"Leslie Cairns is trying to popularize Miss Walbert with the freshmen.
+That is why she has been keeping her on hand at all the trains. I am
+sure of it," stated Vera positively. "You just watch and see if I am not
+right. The Sans are going to try to run the freshman class. Otherwise
+they would never have gone to the trouble they have."
+
+"They won't keep it up. Mark what I tell you, there will be a lot of
+snubbed and very wrathful freshies before the month is out," prophesied
+Leila.
+
+"I hope the grand awakening comes before their class election. I doubt
+it. With Miss Walbert as president of 19--, the Sans would feel they
+had really put one over on us. I think Phyllis Moore, Robin's cousin,
+would make a fine freshman president." Jerry glanced about her for
+corroboration.
+
+"Why not do some quiet electioneering for her, then," suggested Grace
+Dearborn. "It is just as fair for us to boost a freshie for an office as
+for the Sans. It would be only a helpful elder sister stunt. We need not
+make ourselves prominent. A girl like Miss Moore would be a fine
+influence to her class. This Miss Walbert would not be."
+
+"It isn't really our business," demurred Marjorie, "but I think it would
+be a good thing, nevertheless. We are fighting for democracy. The Sans
+are fighting for popularity and false power. I am willing to do all I
+can to help the cause along. I know Ronny and Muriel and Lucy will feel
+the same. Jerry's here to speak for herself."
+
+The others agreeing to enter into a quiet little plot to put the right
+girl in the freshman presidential chair, how they should go about it
+formed the main topic of conversation at Marie's dinner at the quaint
+Colonial that evening. All sorts of ways and means were suggested, only
+to be abandoned. It was impossible to proceed until they had come into
+more of a knowledge of the freshmen themselves. Each, however, pledged
+herself to make a point of getting acquainted with the freshmen in the
+house where she resided and sounding them on their policies, with a view
+toward giving them a hint in the right direction.
+
+It seemed to Marjorie that the next few days following her strenuous
+service on committee were days of undiluted peace. Busy with her study
+programme she forgot, for the time being, that there ever were any such
+persons as the Sans Soucians. She had decided on French, chemistry,
+Greek tragedy, Horace's odes and spherical trigonometry for the fall
+term, a programme that meant hard study. Since coming to Hamilton her
+active interest in chemistry had increased and she planned to carry the
+study of it through her entire college course. The laboratory at Sanford
+High School had been well equipped, but the Hamilton laboratories were
+all that scientific progress could devise. Marjorie hailed her chemistry
+hours with the keenest pleasure.
+
+The other four Lookouts were hardly less occupied than herself in
+arranging their college affairs for the fall term. With a year of
+college behind them it was much easier to buckle down to study and enjoy
+it than it had been when they had first entered Hamilton. Girl-like,
+they loved the good times college offered, yet they were as quick to
+appreciate the rare educational advantages Hamilton afforded and make
+the most of them. The average college girl takes the utmost pride in
+keeping to the fore in her studies. In this the Lookouts were no
+exception.
+
+Not forgetting their pledge to get acquainted speedily with the freshmen
+in their own house, the Lookouts found themselves completely blocked in
+their well-meant design by the Sans. To begin with, there were only four
+freshmen at Wayland Hall. These the Sans completely monopolized. As yet,
+no one at the Hall outside the Sans had a speaking acquaintance with
+them.
+
+Silverton Hall was also at a disadvantage by reason of the few vacancies
+there. It had been almost entirely a freshman house the previous year.
+It was now practically sophomore. A few girls, having made changes on
+account of friends in other houses, there had been eight vacancies and
+no more. Phyllis Moore had been fortunate enough to secure board there.
+The seven other freshmen had turned out to be delightful girls with no
+snobbish notions. Seven democrats in a class of one hundred ten, with
+the politics of the other hundred and two doubtful, did not point to a
+speedy election of Phyllis to the freshman presidency.
+
+"We might as well give up boosting Phil as a hopeless job," Jerry
+remarked to Marjorie one evening, as the two girls were putting away
+their books preparatory to retiring. Both made it a rule not to talk
+over outside matters until next day's recitations had been prepared. "It
+is two weeks since we planned the fateful boost and none of us have made
+much headway."
+
+"I know it." Marjorie looked up regretfully from the scattered sheets of
+the finished theme which she was collecting. "The trouble is, so many of
+the freshies are at Alston Terrace. Acasia House has about twenty. Ethel
+Laird says they are a fairly affable set, but Miss Burton and Miss
+Elster are doing their best to spoil them. There are as many as
+twenty-five freshies off the campus entirely. Miss Humphrey told me
+that. There were twelve registrations from the town of Hamilton this
+year. Of course those students go home after recitations."
+
+"Not much can be done when a class is so scattered. I mean by us. Let me
+count 'em up. There are twenty-five off the campus, eight at Silverton
+Hall," enumerated Jerry; "four here, forty-four at Alston Terrace. Think
+of that. That makes one hundred and one. Now where are the other nine?
+At Craig Hall, perhaps, or Houghton House. You see Miss Walbert has the
+advantage over Phil as she is at Alston Terrace, the freshie center."
+
+Marjorie nodded. "It doesn't look very promising for Phil," she said.
+"Robin would love to have Phil win the presidency. She is so proud of
+her. The Silverton Hall crowd adore her already. She is a dear. She is
+so full of fun. I like her frank, boyish ways. Leila told me today that
+the Sans are planning some kind of party for the freshmen. She heard it
+somewhere on the campus. I don't know who told her."
+
+"That is to taffy the freshmen so they will vote for Miss Walbert," was
+Jerry's instant uncharitable conclusion. "They haven't held their class
+election yet. When is this party to be, I wonder?"
+
+"Leila doesn't know. If the Sans do make a party for the freshmen I
+doubt if all of them will attend it. It won't be at all like the regular
+freshman dance. Still," she continued reflectively, "if the Sans take
+that much trouble for them, they ought to respond."
+
+"Yes; I guess that's so. The freshies haven't been here long enough to
+know the charming Sans as they really are. In their infant verdancy they
+will probably look upon it as a great honor. They'll probably be more
+enlightened after they have attended it," Jerry added with a wicked
+little grin.
+
+Two days later it became circulated about the campus that the freshmen
+had been invited by the Sans to attend a picnic, instead of a party, to
+be given at Pine Crest, a wooded height about five miles east of
+Hamilton College. For many years it had been a favorite college picnic
+ground. Hardly a Saturday passed, when the weather was good, without an
+invasion, great or small, of its fragrant, pine-shaded premises. It was
+an ideal spot for an al fresco luncheon. As it could be reached by
+automobile, it was all the more popular with the Hamilton students.
+
+The certainty of the rumor was made manifest to Marjorie when, on
+Wednesday evening after dinner, she and Jerry heard a timid knock on
+their door. Jerry, hastening to open the door, their caller proved to be
+Anne Towne.
+
+"Why, good evening, Miss Towne!" Jerry extended a hospitable hand. "So
+glad to see you. We wondered what had become of you. We knew you owed us
+a visit and were waiting for you to pay it." Jerry ushered the wren-like
+freshman into the room and offered her its most comfortable chair.
+
+"I have been intending to call, but I--" Miss Towne paused, looking
+rather confused. "You see--I--didn't know but I might intrude. You girls
+are so different from myself," she suddenly blurted out, as though
+anxious to bare her diffident soul to her dainty hostesses and have it
+over with. "I mean different because you aren't poor and have lots of
+friends and can entertain them and all that. I know it is the custom at
+college for the upper class girls to be kind to entering freshmen. I
+didn't care to presume on your kindness. I hope you understand me." She
+flushed painfully.
+
+"Nonsense," scoffed Jerry sturdily. "We aren't a bit haughty. We want
+you to be our friend and hope to see you often. You mustn't think about
+such things. Just go along with your head held high. If people don't
+like you for your own merits, they are not worth cultivating."
+
+"I believe you couldn't have been so very much afraid of Jeremiah's and
+my great dignity or you wouldn't have dared come and see us tonight."
+Marjorie smiled encouragement at the still embarrassed girl.
+
+"Perhaps I wasn't really." Marjorie's winning smile communicated itself
+to the other girl. Her tired little face brightened wonderfully. "I am
+sure I won't be afraid ever again. I would love to call both of you my
+friends."
+
+"Do so; do so." Jerry's instant response in a pompous tone made Miss
+Towne laugh. Marjorie thought her pretty when she laughed. Her teeth
+were unusually white and even, and her face broke into charming little
+lines of amusement.
+
+"I will," she promised. "I came to you tonight for advice. You were all
+so kind to me the other day, I thought you wouldn't mind my asking you
+something. I have received an invitation to a picnic next Saturday to
+be given to the freshman class. Here it is."
+
+Miss Towne opened a small handbag and drew from it a heavy white
+envelope. The faint odor of perfume still clung to it. Drawing from it a
+sheet of paper to match, she handed the latter to Marjorie. It read:
+
+    "Dear Miss Towne:
+
+    "The Sans Soucians will be glad to see you at a picnic, to be
+    given in honor of the freshman class next Saturday afternoon,
+    the weather permitting, at Pine Crest.  Please meet the other
+    members of the class in front of Science Hall, at half-past one
+    o'clock.  The trip will be made by automobile and the Sans
+    Soucians will entertain at luncheon.
+
+                         "Yours cordially,
+                              "Dulciana Vale, Secy. Sans Soucians."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE DIFFERENCE IN PICNIC PLANS.
+
+
+Marjorie studied the invitation in silence. Then she handed it to Jerry.
+The latter read it and said "Humph!" in a disgusted tone.
+
+"I didn't know what I ought to do about it," broke in Miss Towne
+anxiously. "Who are the Sans Soucians? I've read quite a little of
+college sororities. I suppose they are a sorority. Would they be
+offended if I didn't go? I can't really spare the time. I do my own
+laundering on Saturday afternoon. The landlady allows me to use the
+kitchen. I don't mind telling you girls that. I would rather not give it
+as an excuse to the Sans Soucians, though. Perhaps I would not be missed
+if I didn't go. Do you think I would be? Are you girls members of the
+Sans Soucians?"
+
+"Well, hardly!" Jerry spoke on the impulse of the moment. Miss Towne
+looked at her with increasing anxiety. Jerry's response was not
+indicative of flattery to the Sans Soucians.
+
+"The Sans Soucians are a private club of eighteen juniors," Marjorie
+quickly explained. "They live here at the Hall. They are all girls from
+very wealthy families and they entertain a good deal among themselves.
+They have taken an unusual interest in the freshmen since they came back
+to college. We heard that they intended to give a picnic in honor of the
+freshies. I believe I would try to go if I were you. It will be a good
+opportunity for you to meet the other members of your class. Besides,
+Pine Crest is such a beautiful spot. The afternoon in the fresh air will
+do you good."
+
+Jerry gazed at Marjorie, a slight frown puckering her forehead. It was a
+fair-minded answer and just like Marjorie. Still, it went against her
+grain to help the Sans' cause along in the slightest degree.
+
+"Have you met any of your classmates yet?" she asked abruptly. Without a
+little freshman support Jerry was not sanguine of Miss Towne's enjoyment
+of the picnic. The Sans' hospitality was not to be trusted.
+
+"I know four girls a little who live several houses below me. They have
+the third floor of the house and do light house-keeping. They are very
+much pleased with the invitation. I wish they would ask me to go with
+them. I hate to go alone. I will accept, though, so long as you think it
+best." She turned to Marjorie with a kind of meek trust that touched the
+latter.
+
+"Perhaps these other freshmen will ask you," was Marjorie's hopeful
+rejoinder. "If they shouldn't you will see them at the picnic and be
+with them anyway, perhaps. I know an even better plan. Suppose we get
+the rest of the girls, Jerry, and go over to Silverton Hall. We can
+introduce Miss Towne to the freshies there and she will be sure to have
+company at the picnic."
+
+"All right, Marvelous Manager. I'll go and round them up." Jerry rose
+and promptly disappeared in search of her chums.
+
+"I don't think I ought to go," demurred Muriel, when invited. "I have a
+hundred lines of French prose to translate. It's terribly hard, too."
+
+"Translate it when you come back," suggested Jerry.
+
+"I see myself doing it. It is half-past seven now. We'll be back here
+about ten minutes before the ten-thirty bell. That will give me a lot of
+time to translate a hundred lines. Now won't it?"
+
+"Oh, come along. I'll see that you get back by nine-thirty, even if we
+have to start home ahead of the others," glibly promised Jerry.
+
+"I'll see to it myself," declared Muriel. "I intend to be a stickler for
+duty this night. Go and get Ronny and Lucy while I do my hair over. It's
+all falling down. I will meet you down stairs."
+
+Lucy and Ronny also raised weak objections on the ground of unprepared
+recitations. Nevertheless they shut up their books with alacrity.
+Neither cared to be left out of a visit to Silverton Hall.
+
+Presently the six girls were crossing the campus under the autumn stars.
+It was a soft October night and none of the Lookouts had donned hats or
+wraps. Walking between Marjorie and Ronny, Miss Towne began partly to
+understand how very delightful some girls could be. She had never had an
+intimate girl friend and she thought it remarkable that these
+self-possessed, beautifully dressed girls should be so ready to show her
+every kindness.
+
+"You dear things!" was Robin Page's greeting as she fairly pranced into
+the living room at Silverton Hall not more than three minutes after her
+callers' arrival. "You certainly are unexpected but awfully welcome.
+Come up to my room this minute."
+
+Robin smiled in friendly fashion at Miss Towne, although she had never
+met her. Immediately she had been introduced to the lonely freshman, and
+Marjorie had stated the object of their call, Robin said heartily:
+
+"I will go and hunt up our freshies as soon as you are up in my room.
+Phil is there, of course. She rooms with me, you know. She swears she
+isn't going to that picnic. I don't know what the others think about
+it. Once get them together, it will be a good chance to find out."
+
+Ushered into Robin's room, the Lookouts and their charge found Phyllis
+looking girlishly pretty in a flowered silk kimono. She received them in
+the pleasant, straightforward way they so greatly admired in her and
+proceeded to show an especial friendliness to Miss Towne.
+
+Presently the murmur of voices outside announced that Robin had been
+successful in her quest. In fact she had found all seven of the freshmen
+in their rooms and had rushed them a la negligee to her own.
+
+"Here we are," she breezily announced, "and not a freshie missing. I'll
+proceed to the great introduction act. Then, make yourselves at home."
+
+As both groups of girls were bent on being friendly, a buzz of
+conversation soon arose. Under cover of it Robin said to Marjorie: "What
+do you think about the Sans' new stunt? You know just why they are doing
+it and so do all of us who fought out that basket-ball affair with them
+last year. Their motive isn't a worthy one. Still we really can't tell
+the freshies that. Phil understands matters. That's why she doesn't care
+to go. I know you want Miss Towne to go, or you would not have brought
+her over here tonight to get acquainted with our freshies. She will be
+safe from snubs with our girls. They are all fine. Too bad, but I don't
+trust the Sans even to do this stunt in a nice way. They will be sure to
+get haughty and hurt some freshie's feelings before their picnic is
+over."
+
+"I have no faith in them, but it would be hardly fair not to give them
+the benefit of the doubt," returned Marjorie earnestly. "I wish Phil
+would go. It would be a good opportunity for the freshmen to see what a
+fine president they might have in her. She is so individual. I think she
+would be popular in her class in spite of the Sans' influence."
+
+"So do I. You ask her. Maybe she will change her mind for you." Robin
+looked concernedly to where her cousin sat talking animatedly to Muriel
+and Miss Towne.
+
+The latter, however, had already broached the subject of the picnic to
+Phyllis.
+
+"I am so glad to meet all you girls. Miss Dean suggested coming over on
+account of that picnic for the freshmen," Miss Towne had remarked
+innocently. "I had made up my mind not to go, but she thought I ought to
+and said if I met some other freshmen I would not have to go alone. I
+don't live on the campus so I haven't much opportunity of meeting other
+students."
+
+"I see," nodded Phyllis. A swift tide of color had risen to her cheeks.
+From the instant she had set eyes on Marjorie Dean she had adored her.
+She now felt as though she had been lacking in true college spirit. If
+Marjorie thought Miss Towne should attend the picnic, undoubtedly she
+must think that the rest of the freshmen ought to do likewise.
+
+"I will play especial escort to you at the picnic," she now laughingly
+offered. "I hadn't intended to go either, but I have changed my mind.
+Oh, Marjorie," she called across the room, "I'll take care of Miss Towne
+at the picnic."
+
+"Will you, truly?" The eyes of the two girls met. A silent message was
+exchanged. "Then she will be sure to have a nice time," was what
+Marjorie put into words.
+
+Robin and Marjorie also exchanged sly smiles. Each suspected that humble
+little Miss Towne was responsible for Phyllis's sudden change of mind.
+More, it was apparent that Phyllis had taken one of her sudden likings
+to the unassuming freshman.
+
+Later, Robin found an opportunity to confide to Marjorie that she didn't
+know how it had happened, for Phil was terribly obstinate when once she
+had set her mind against a thing. Nor did Marjorie know until long
+afterward that she had been responsible for a decision on Phyllis's part
+which was the beginning of a warm friendship between Phyllis and Anna
+Towne.
+
+Meanwhile the prospective hostesses of Saturday's outing were spending
+the evening in Leslie Cairns' room squabbling over their plans for the
+picnic. They could not agree on the refreshments, the amusements, or, in
+fact, anything pertaining to the affair. The truth of the matter was
+they were already tired of their beneficent project. They had never made
+a practice of unselfishly trying to please others, and the process bade
+fair to be too difficult for their infinitely small natures.
+
+For once, during the wrangling that went on, Leslie Cairns honestly
+tried to keep her temper. The straw that broke the particular camel's
+back in her case, however, was an extended argument between Dulcie Vale
+and Natalie Weyman regarding the refreshments. These two, with Harriet
+Stephens, had been appointed to look after the luncheon. Harriet lazily
+expressed herself as indifferent to what the menu should be, provided it
+was fit to eat.
+
+"Cut out this scrapping and get down to business, you two," finally
+ordered Leslie in her roughest tones. Followed an insulting rebuke from
+her that brought a flush to both the wranglers' cheeks. When thoroughly
+exasperated Leslie spared no one's feelings. "You decide on what to have
+_right now_ and make a list of it. Trot it over to the Colonial early
+tomorrow morning. If you leave it until even tomorrow night they may
+refuse to handle it. Remember it will take time to pack a luncheon for
+one hundred and twenty-eight persons."
+
+"Dulcie wants to serve a regular six-course dinner out in that neck of
+the woods," sputtered Natalie. "I am not in favor of such extravagance.
+It will cost us enough to have sandwiches, salads, relishes and sweets.
+Then there's coffee, chocolate, and imported ginger ale besides. I am
+not going to spend my whole month's allowance on a feed for those
+greenies."
+
+"If we expect to make an impression on the freshies we ought to do
+things in good style," Dulcie hotly contested. "I don't care how much
+money it costs me. I have plenty of coin. The trouble with you Nat, is
+you're stingy. You buy everything expensive for yourself, but you are
+always broke when it comes to treating."
+
+"I'll never forgive you for that, Dulcie Vale," was Natalie's wrathful
+retort. "I think you are too----"
+
+"That will be _all_," Leslie cut in sternly. "I said cut out the
+scrapping, didn't I? Either do as I say or get out of here. We can run
+the picnic minus either of you. Nat is right for once. Why should we
+spend a fortune on this affair?"
+
+Knowing that Leslie would have no scruples about barring them both from
+further part in the picnic, they sullenly subsided. Dulcie freezingly
+accepted the list of eatables Natalie had made up and temporary peace
+was restored. Natalie bade Leslie a very cool goodnight a little later
+when the session broke up. She was hurt and angry over Leslie's brutal
+frankness. For an instant she wished she might be entirely free of
+Leslie's domineering sway. It was one of those moments when a faint
+stirring of a better nature made her long for harmony and peace. Her
+ignoble side was too greatly in the ascendency however to make her
+distaste for Leslie Cairns and her tyranny more than momentary.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+A RECKLESS DRIVER.
+
+
+"The Sans have certainly had one beautiful day for their picnic, but if
+they don't put in an appearance pretty soon they will be caught in a
+rain." Seated beside Marjorie and Lucy Warner in the big porch swing,
+Jerry squinted at the rapidly clouding sky.
+
+While the day had been warm and moderately sunny, dark clouds had been
+looming up here and there in the sky since four o'clock. Scattered at
+first, they had gradually banked solidly in the west, obscuring the
+sunset and promising rain before nightfall.
+
+"What time is it, Jeremiah?" asked Lucy. "I promised to meet Katherine
+here on the veranda at five-thirty. She left her handbag at Lillian's
+last night and we are going to walk over there before dinner."
+
+"Why, Luciferous!" Jerry fixed Lucy with an amazed eye. "Can I believe
+that you and your precious watch have parted company even for a brief
+half hour!"
+
+Lucy giggled. Her extreme fondness for the wrist watch Ronny had given
+her was well known to her chums.
+
+"I broke the crystal," she confessed. "It dropped from my hand the other
+night on the lavatory floor. I miss it terribly you had better believe.
+It will be fixed tomorrow, thank goodness."
+
+"Surprised at such carelessness. Ahem!" Jerry teased. "If you want to
+know the time, it is twenty-seven minutes past five. Your kindred spirit
+should appear in three minutes."
+
+"Here she comes now." Marjorie had spied Katherine coming up the walk.
+
+"Did you think I was going to be late?" Katherine called from the bottom
+step. "I had an awful time looking up some data at the library. I just
+left there and ran half the way here. It looks like rain, but, if we
+walk fast, we can go over to Wenderblatt's and back before it starts.
+Want to go along, Marjorie and Jerry?"
+
+"I might as well. I've nothing else to do before dinner. Come on,
+Jeremiah. A fast walk before dinner will be a splendid appetizer."
+Marjorie rose from the swing and brushed down her wrinkled linen skirt.
+
+"Don't need an appetizer. I'm famished now. Lead me on. I may lose half
+a pound. That will be something attempted, something done, as our friend
+H. W. Longfellow sagely remarks in the 'Village Blacksmith.'"
+
+Without further lingering the four girls left the veranda and started
+down the drive at a swift walk. The Wenderblatt's residence was not far
+from the campus, but the sky was growing more threatening.
+
+"It begins to look as though we would have to run all the way back to
+the Hall or get a ducking," warned Jerry as they neared Lillian's home.
+"We can't stop to talk, girls. We had better wait for Katherine at the
+gate. If the whole gang of us goes up to the house we will lose time."
+
+"Yes, I want to be back at the Hall for an early dinner. I must study
+like sixty this evening, for I won't have a minute tomorrow. Chapel in
+the morning, and I have promised to go over to Houghton House tomorrow
+afternoon with Leila. Then we are all going to Muriel's and Hortense's
+Sunday night spread. Sunday seems the shortest day in the week,"
+Marjorie ended with a little regretful gesture.
+
+"I'll be back directly." Coming to the high gate of the ornamental iron
+fence which inclosed the professor's property, Katherine clanged it
+hurriedly after her and sped up the walk to the house.
+
+True to her word it was not more than ten minutes before she rejoined
+them, her handbag swinging from her arm.
+
+"Lillian was so sorry you wouldn't come up. She invited us all to dinner.
+I told her we simply must hurry back to the Hall. She----"
+
+A sudden deep rumble of thunder drowned Katherine's speech. It was
+followed by a sharp blinding flash of lightning.
+
+"We had better run for it," counseled Jerry. "There will be more thunder
+and lightning before the rain really starts. Don't let a little thing
+like thunder worry you, children."
+
+By common consent the quartette broke into a gentle run. Soon they were
+on the highway and not more than a block from the campus wall. As they
+neared the east gate a terrific reverberating peal of thunder rent the
+air. So completely did it obliterate all other sound that none of the
+four heard the purr of a motor behind them, driven at excessive speed.
+
+"Look out!" A sense of impending danger warning Jerry to turn her head,
+even in full flight, her voice rose in a sharp scream.
+
+Her friends heard it dimly as the speeding car bore down upon them.
+Jerry made a wild dive out of harm's way, dragging Marjorie, who was
+nearest to her, with her. Lucy, who was on the outer edge of the road
+made a stumbling step backward. Katherine---- Through a mist of horror
+the three girls saw the machine catch her, flinging her off the road.
+They heard cries issue from the black and white roadster as it shot down
+the road.
+
+"Katherine! Oh, do you suppose she is dead?" Already Lucy was kneeling
+on the ground beside the silent form in an agony of suspense. "She was
+almost in the middle of the road. I didn't have time to warn her. I
+didn't hear it until it ran her down." Lucy's face was white and set.
+
+"Her heart's beating." Marjorie knelt at Katherine's other side, her
+hand inside Katherine's pongee blouse. "Better go over her for broken
+bones, Lucy." Marjorie was trembling violently though her voice was
+steady.
+
+"It was Leslie Cairns who did that!" Jerry hotly accused. "I wonder if
+she'll have the decency to come back. She must know she ran some one
+down. I heard the girls in her car scream. I guess she turned in at the
+gate. Keep off the road, girls. Here come the rest of the picnickers.
+One accident is enough for today. She was speeding. That's why she was
+so far ahead of the others. I shall hail this first car and make 'em
+take Katherine up to the Hall."
+
+Jerry did not need to hail the car. In the fading daylight the girl at
+the wheel, who happened to be Margaret Wayne, brought her automobile to
+a stop almost even with the roadside group.
+
+"What has happened?" she called out sharply.
+
+"Your friend Miss Cairns just ran down Miss Langly," returned Jerry
+grimly. "She isn't dead, but we don't know how badly she may be hurt.
+May we have the use of your car to take her to the Hall?"
+
+"Certainly," came the response in frightened tones. Next instant the
+seven occupants of the car had piled out of it and gathered around the
+still unconscious girl.
+
+A swift patter of raindrops struck the group, beating gently on
+Katherine's white, upturned face. Marjorie had now lifted her head to an
+easy position on her lap.
+
+"Have any of you smelling salts?" she inquired calmly of the frightened
+circle, "or perhaps you have a water bottle with you."
+
+"The luncheon things are in one of the cars away back. We have no water
+with us. Won't the rain help to revive her?" Margaret Wayne asked
+lamely.
+
+"We shall not give it time to do that," Marjorie returned dryly. "If you
+will help us lift her we will get her into the car at once. It is only
+two or three minutes' drive to the Hall."
+
+The others of the party being freshmen, they willingly sprang to
+Marjorie's assistance. Raised from the ground, Katherine opened her
+eyes and groaned a little.
+
+"What--happened? Oh, I--remember. My back! It--hurts--so." She closed
+her eyes wearily.
+
+Slender though she was, it became no easy matter to place her in the
+tonneau of the automobile. The credit of the undertaking went to
+Marjorie and Jerry, who exerted their young strength to the utmost for
+their injured friend. By this time a procession of automobiles
+containing the returning picnickers was drawn up along the road. The
+sound of excited voices from within these cars bade Marjorie lose no
+time.
+
+"Will you please drive on before the others come up?" she entreated.
+"They know now that something has happened. We ought not to have a crowd
+around. I hope your passengers won't mind walking to the campus."
+
+"Not a bit of it," assured two or three of the freshmen who had heard
+her remarks.
+
+"Thank you." Marjorie flashed the group of girls one of her beautiful,
+kindly smiles which none of them forgot in a hurry.
+
+Alarmed though she was by the accident, Margaret was half resentful of
+Marjorie's calm manner. Still she had no choice but to do as she was
+requested. She inwardly wished that Leslie had had the prudence to
+drive moderately. This affair was likely to make trouble for them all.
+
+"Ready?" she interrogated, turning in the driver's seat to Marjorie.
+
+An affirmative and she started her car for the Hall. Just at the gate
+they met the black and white roadster. Leslie was its sole occupant now.
+
+"Hello!" she hailed. "Is that you, Margaret? What was the matter back
+there? Do you know?" Leslie leaned far out of her car in the gathering
+twilight.
+
+"Your roadster hit Miss Langly. I don't know how it happened. She is in
+my car. Her friends are with her. You'd better go on down and tell the
+rest what has happened. They have stopped back there."
+
+"What?" This time Leslie's pet interjection came involuntarily and with
+a tinge of fear. "I saw a bunch of girls, but I was sure I didn't hit
+any of them. See you at the Hall." Leslie started her car without
+further words.
+
+"She has nerve!" muttered Jerry. "She thinks she is going to slide out
+of this easily. Well, she can't lay this outrage to anyone else. She had
+no business to be exceeding the speed limit. She never sounded a horn,
+either. Poor Kathie! I hope she isn't badly hurt."
+
+"I--I--am all right, Jerry." Katherine had heard. "The car just brushed
+me; hard--enough to throw me--on my back. That's all."
+
+"That's all," repeated Lucy indignantly. "Enough, I should say. Musn't
+talk much, Kathie. You'll be in your room and in bed right away."
+
+"Glad of it. So--tired," mumbled Katharine, and closed her eyes again.
+
+The injured girl was carried into the Hall just as a driving rain began
+to descend. Miss Remson promptly telephoned for her own physician and
+bustled about, an efficient first aid, until he arrived.
+
+Established temporarily on the living room davenport, Katherine braced
+up wonderfully under the wise little manager's treatment. To her plea
+that she could walk upstairs to her room, if assisted by two of her
+friends, Miss Remson would not listen.
+
+"Wait until the doctor comes, my dear," she insisted. "He will know
+what's best for you."
+
+News of the accident having spread through the Hall, girls hurried from
+all parts of the house to the living room, where they were promptly
+headed off by Lucy, Marjorie and Jerry from intruding upon Katherine.
+Thus far neither the Sans nor the four freshmen who roomed at the Hall
+had put in an appearance.
+
+The arrival of Doctor Thurston, a large, kindly man of about forty, was
+a relief to all concerned. Very gently he lifted Katherine in his
+strong arms and carried her upstairs to her room.
+
+"She has had a narrow escape," he told her anxious friends, a little
+later. "Her back is sprained. It is a wonder it was not broken. Two
+weeks in bed and she will be all right again. Students who drive their
+own cars should go slowly along the campus part of the road. There are
+always girls in plenty on foot. The one who ran her down must have had
+very poor policy not even to sound a horn."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A PAINFUL INTERVIEW.
+
+
+As a result of a private conference among the Lookouts that evening, a
+trained nurse arrived on Sunday afternoon to look after their injured
+friend. Ronny, with her usual magnificent generosity, wished to take the
+expenses for Katherine's care and treatment upon herself. To this her
+chums would not hear. "We all love Kathie," Muriel declared. "I think we
+ought to divide her expenses among us." Lucy Warner was particularly
+pleased with Muriel's proposal. She had earned an extra hundred dollars
+that summer by doing typing in the evenings. She felt, therefore, that
+she held the right to offer a portion of it in the cause of her
+particular friend.
+
+"It seems too bad to go on having good times with poor Kathie so sick,"
+deplored Marjorie, as she and Jerry softly closed the door of the
+latter's room after a brief visit to her following their return from
+Houghton House.
+
+"I know it, but what good will it do us to cut out recreation, so long
+as we can't spend the time with her?" argued Jerry. "We know she is all
+right and going to get well. It isn't as though she wasn't expected to
+live. The nurse said a lot of the girls had come to her door to inquire
+for her. She wouldn't let any of 'em see her. I think the Sans have been
+on the job. They are probably scared for fear Kathie will make it hot
+for Leslie Cairns when she is well again."
+
+"She wouldn't." Marjorie shook her curly head. "Neither would I, if I
+were in her place. It ought to be a lesson to the Sans without any
+further fuss about it. They are the only ones who drive faster than they
+should."
+
+"If Miss Cairns had run down a citizen of the town of Hamilton then
+there would have been a commotion. It is a very good thing for her that
+a traffic officer wasn't around. He would have arrested her, sure as
+fate. I wish one had been on the scene," declared Jerry, with a trace of
+vindictiveness.
+
+That the Sans were manifestly uneasy over the accident was evidenced by
+their gathering in Leslie Cairns' room that afternoon for a confab.
+Leslie herself hid whatever trepidation she was feeling under an air of
+cool bravado. She listened to all that her companions had to say on the
+subject without vouchsafing more than an occasional curt reply.
+
+"Really, Les, you don't seem to understand that you may get into an
+awful mess over running down that beggardly dig!" Joan Myers at length
+exclaimed in sharp irritation. "Suppose the whole thing is put before
+President Matthews or the Board. We may all lose the privilege of having
+our cars at college. I read of a college out west the other day where
+that happened as the result of an accident to a student."
+
+"Oh, forget it!" Leslie waved a derisive hand. "I shall fix things O.K.
+Don't make any mistake about that. I'll send this beggar a whopping old
+basket of fruit tomorrow and a handsome box of flowers. You girls had
+better part with a little change in the same cause. Anyway, I have
+pretty solid ground to stand on. Who is going to prove that I didn't
+sound a horn? It couldn't be heard above the thunder. If I drove fast, I
+had reason for it. Why should I drive my car at a crawl and be caught in
+the storm? Was there a cop around to say I was speeding? There was not.
+I certainly won't ever admit it. It was simply one of those unfortunate
+accidents. So sorry, I'm sure. What?" Leslie finished in a high, mocking
+treble.
+
+It raised a laugh, as she intended it should. Her companions began to
+breathe more freely. Leslie could certainly be relied upon to clear
+herself.
+
+Before evening of the following Monday Katherine's room resembled a
+combination fruit and flower market. Not only the Sans but her real
+friends and impersonal sympathizers also sent in their friendly
+tributes. Her condition much improved, she asked particularly to see
+Marjorie and Lucy Warner.
+
+"Not more than fifteen minutes, please," said the nurse, as the two
+girls tip-toed into the sick room shortly before dinner.
+
+"I wanted to see you so much." Katherine smiled a trifle wanly. "You
+were so good to me when first I was hurt. I remember the whole thing. I
+won't try to talk of that now. Later, when you can stay longer. There is
+something I wish you would do for me. Nurse read me the names of the
+cards on the flowers and fruit. The Sans sent a good deal of it. I--I--"
+a thread of color crept into Katherine's pale cheeks. "I don't want it.
+I can't bear it in the room. I understand them so well. I don't care to
+be harsh, but I would like you to take all of it except a basket of
+fruit and a few flowers and send it to the Hamilton Home for Old Folks.
+It is on Carpenter Street. It would please them so much. I can't eat
+one-tenth of the fruit before it spoils, and you girls don't want it, I
+know. If it is mostly all sent away, then no one can feel hurt, neither
+the Sans nor my real friends. The Sans need not be afraid. I am not
+going to make Miss Cairns any trouble. She has asked twice to see me. I
+shall see her when I am a little stronger and tell her so."
+
+"That is sweet in you, Kathie," Marjorie approved. She referred not only
+to Katherine's lenience of spirit toward Leslie Cairns, but to her
+proposed thoughtful disposal of the fruit and flowers. "I'll ask Leila
+to take your gifts to the old folks in her car tomorrow. I know she will
+be glad to be able to do something for you. I understand how you feel
+about--well--some things. I believe I'd feel the same if I were in your
+place."
+
+"I wanted to be excused from my classes and be your nurse, Kathie," Lucy
+solemnly assured her chum, her green eyes full of devotion. "Ronny said
+'no' that a trained nurse would be best. I miss you dreadfully. Let me
+come and see you every day, won't you?"
+
+"Of course, you dear goose," Katherine assured, her blue eyes misting
+over with sudden tears. It was so wonderful to be loved and missed. "I
+shall not be in bed for two whole weeks. I can sit up a little now and I
+am so strong I shall be walking about the room by the last of this week.
+I am not used to being an invalid and I don't intend to get used to
+being one."
+
+Naturally sturdy of constitution, the end of the ensuing week found
+Katherine able to make little journeys about her room. It was not until
+the Friday following her accident that she felt equal to seeing Leslie
+Cairns. The nurse had informed her on Thursday that Miss Langly would be
+able to see her for a few minutes on Friday afternoon. Leslie
+accordingly cut her last afternoon recitation in order to call on
+Katherine before any of her friends should arrive on the scene.
+
+"Good afternoon," she saluted without enthusiasm, as the nurse admitted
+her to the sick room. Her small dark eyes shrewdly appraised Katherine,
+who was lying on her couch bed clad in a dainty delft blue silk kimono.
+
+"Good afternoon, Miss Cairns," Katherine returned. "Please take the arm
+chair. It is more comfortable than the others."
+
+"Thank you. I can't stay long. I have been trying to see you for the
+last week; ever since your accident, in fact. Glad to see you better. I
+sent you some fruit and flowers. Tried to make you understand that I was
+anxious about you." Leslie paused. Her small stock of politeness was
+already threatening to desert her. She despised Katherine for her
+poverty. Now she disliked her even more because she had injured her.
+
+"I thank you for the fruit and flowers. I asked the nurse to thank you
+for me when I received them. I have met with so many kindnesses since
+I--since I was hurt." Katherine referred to the injury she had received
+through Leslie's recklessness with some hesitancy.
+
+"You understand, don't you, that I wasn't really to blame for your
+accident?" The question was put to Katherine with brusque directness. "I
+was driving a little faster than usual to escape the storm. I was well
+within the speed limit. Remember that. I fail to understand why you
+girls didn't hear my horn. It sounded clearly, even above the storm."
+
+"I did not hear it." Katherine fixed her clear eyes squarely upon the
+other girl. "I heard Jerry scream 'Look out!' and then the car struck
+me."
+
+"Hm! Well, all I can say is you girls should not have been strung across
+the road as you were," was Leslie's bold criticism.
+
+"We were walking only on the half of the road used by cars coming toward
+us," was Katherine's quietly defensive rejoinder. "But it doesn't
+matter, Miss Cairns. I do not intend to make any trouble for you. I hope
+all excitement of the accident has died down before this."
+
+"It will be dropped unless that crowd of girls you go with keep stirring
+it up," retorted Leslie. "I wish you would ask them to let it drop.
+Since you are willing to, why shouldn't they be? I wasn't to blame.
+Start an inquiry and the result will be we'll not be allowed to keep
+our cars at college. That will hit some of your friends as well as
+myself and mine."
+
+"I give you my word that I shall drop the matter. I know my friends have
+no desire to keep it active. I say this in their defense. I cannot allow
+you to misunderstand or belittle their principles."
+
+Katherine spoke with marked stiffness. She could endure Leslie's
+supercilious manner toward herself. When it came to laying the fault at
+the door of her beloved friends--that was not to be borne.
+
+"I'm not in the least interested in your friends. All I want them to do
+is to mind their own business about this accident. If you say they will,
+I look to you to keep your word. If you will accept a money settlement,
+say what you want and I will hand you a check for that amount." Leslie
+made this offer with cool insolence.
+
+"Please don't!" Katherine was ready to cry with weakness and hurt pride.
+"I--won't you look upon the whole affair as though it had not happened?
+Money is the last thing to be thought of."
+
+"Very well; since that is your way of looking at it." Leslie rose. She
+experienced a malicious satisfaction in having thus "taken a rise out of
+the beggar." Her point gained, she was anxious to be gone. "Hope you
+will soon be as well as ever. If you need anything, let me know. I must
+hurry along. I have a very important dinner engagement this evening.
+Goodbye."
+
+She made a hasty exit, without offering her hand in farewell. Katherine
+lay back among her pillows with a long sigh of sheer relief. She felt
+that she could not have endured her caller two minutes longer without
+telling her frankly how utterly she detested her.
+
+Marjorie and Jerry coming cheerily in upon her soon after classes, she
+confided to them the news of Leslie's call.
+
+"The idea," sniffed Jerry. "Wish I had been here. I'd have told Miss
+Bully Cairns where she gets off at. How does she know but that President
+Matthews knows about it already? There were several freshies in her car.
+No doubt they were all her sort or they wouldn't have been with her.
+Look at the freshies in Miss Stephens' car. They were the first on the
+scene and were awfully sweet to us. What would hinder any one of them
+from 'stirring things up' if they disapproved of the way Miss Cairns
+acted? I mean the way she took her time about coming back after she ran
+Katherine down. She had better make the rounds of the college and tell
+everyone to keep quiet about it."
+
+"She knows she is entirely in the wrong," said Marjorie sternly.
+"Further, she has not told the truth. I am sure I would have heard a
+horn if she had sounded one. She was certainly exceeding the speed
+limit, and she did not keep her car to the proper side of the road. So
+long as Katherine wishes the matter dropped, her wish is law in the
+matter."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A VOLUNTEER MESSENGER.
+
+
+While the news of Katherine's injury soon spread about the college, it
+was reported merely as one of those unintentional happenings for which
+no one was actually culpable. The owners of cherished cars were canny
+enough to realize that to capitalize the accident meant jeopardy to
+their privileges. All knew that a certain important college for girls
+had recently banned cars. None were anxious that Hamilton College should
+find cause to do likewise.
+
+There was one person, however, upon whose action no one had reckoned.
+That particular person chanced to be Professor Wenderblatt. As a friend
+of his daughter's and his most brilliant pupil, the professor cherished
+a warm regard for Katherine. One of the freshmen in the car driven by
+Harriet Stephens chanced to be a friend of Lillian's. The latter
+received from her a fairly accurate account of the accident on the
+following Monday. Nor did the freshman fail to place the blame where it
+belonged.
+
+Highly indignant, Lillian regaled her father with the news at dinner on
+Monday evening, declaring that she thought something ought to be done to
+make the Sans stop their reckless driving. Professor Wenderblatt, who
+was bound by no ties of school-girl honor, decided to have a private
+word on the subject with President Matthews. The fact that Katherine had
+just missed having her back broken was serious enough in his belief to
+warrant a reprimand from headquarters to the offenders.
+
+Utterly unaware that she had a zealous, but an undesired defender,
+Katherine returned to her classes after a two weeks' absence apparently
+in good trim. With her re-appearance on the campus the Sans took heart
+again. Leslie had not been summoned to the president's office. Nothing
+had occurred to point to trouble from that direction.
+
+The disastrous ending of the freshman picnic had dampened her ardor for
+electioneering for a few days. Gradually it returned. Aided by Lola
+Elster and Alida Burton, who were eager to please her, Leslie endeavored
+again by means of luncheons, dinners and treats to rally the freshmen to
+Elizabeth Walbert's banner. Certain wise freshmen, however, had
+discovered for themselves Phyllis Moore's many good qualities. They
+intended to nominate her and proceeded to root energetically for her.
+This contingent had not been pleased with the patronizing manner which
+the Sans had displayed towards them at the picnic. They were altogether
+too independent and honorable to barter their class vote for a mess of
+pottage.
+
+"Freshie election this afternoon," announced Jerry, as she caught up
+with Marjorie on the steps of the Hall. "Saw you half way across the
+campus. You might as well have been ten miles away. I trilled but you
+didn't hear me. I'll bet that election will be a brisk and busy affair."
+
+"I didn't hear you trill. I saw you just as I started up the walk. I
+hear Phil has quite strong support. It would be great if she'd win after
+all the fuss the Sans have made over Miss Walbert."
+
+"She says she won't," was Jerry's disappointing reply. "She thinks over
+half the class will vote for Miss Walbert. If they do I shall be sore
+enough at them to stay away from the freshman frolic."
+
+"There's to be a class meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss that very
+frolic. Did you see the notice yesterday?"
+
+"Yep. Nothing gets by me that I happen to see. I saw that," Jerry made
+humorous reply. "I suppose it is up to us to do the agreeable this year,
+also the decorating."
+
+"Also the gallant escort act. Oh, my!" Marjorie exclaimed in sudden
+consternation. "Something important nearly got by me. I promised Miss
+Humphrey this noon to give Lucy a message from her. Her secretary is
+sick and she needs someone for a few days. She is away behind in her
+letters. Goodbye. I'll see you later."
+
+Marjorie promptly disappeared into the house in search of Lucy. Her
+quest proved fruitless. Lucy was not in her own room or with any of the
+other Lookouts. Katherine was also not at home, which pointed to the
+fact that the two had gone somewhere together.
+
+"They're at Lillian's," guessed Marjorie. "I had better walk over to
+Hamilton Hall and tell Miss Humphrey I haven't seen Lucy," was her next
+thought. "She may be waiting for her."
+
+It was not more than five minutes' walk across the campus to the Hall.
+Marjorie ran part of the way and bounded up the steps of the building,
+breathless and rosy.
+
+"It was kind in you to take so much trouble, Miss Dean," Miss Humphrey
+said gratefully, as Marjorie explained Lucy's non-appearance.
+
+"It was no trouble at all. I will surely see Miss Warner tonight. I wish
+there was something I could do to help you. I'm afraid I'd make a very
+poor secretary." Marjorie smiled at her own lack of secretarial ability.
+
+"There is a service you can do for me. May I ask, have you anything
+particular to do before dinner? Something occurred today in the routine
+of the business of the college which makes it necessary for me to send a
+note to Doctor Matthews or else go over to his home to see him at once.
+He has not been at the Hall today, and I feel that I should not let this
+matter go over until tomorrow without, at least, sending word to him. I
+can't go myself. My work will keep me here until after six. Then I have
+a meeting on hand tonight. If you will take a note for me to the Doctor,
+I shall be eternally grateful."
+
+"I'd love to," Marjorie responded heartily.
+
+"That is truly a weighty matter off my mind," smiled the registrar.
+Immediately she busied herself with the writing of the note to be
+intrusted to Marjorie.
+
+"There will be no answer," she said to Marjorie, when, fifteen minutes
+later, she handed the letter to the willing messenger. "If Doctor
+Matthews is not in, leave it with a member of the family. Please don't
+intrust it to the maid. If it should happen that no one is at home, then
+you had better come back with it to my office."
+
+"Very well." Feeling quite at home with Miss Humphrey, whom she had
+liked on sight, Marjorie drew herself up and saluted. "That is the way I
+do at home," she laughed. "My mother is Captain to me and my father
+General. I'm First Lieutenant Dean. I'll endeavor to carry out your
+order like a good soldier." Wheeling about with military precision,
+Marjorie saluted again and left the office. The registrar watched her go
+with a smile. She reflected that she had never known so beautiful a girl
+as Marjorie to be so utterly unspoiled.
+
+Doctor Matthews' residence was situated at the extreme western end of
+the campus. Although Marjorie had passed it many times, she had never
+before had occasion to go there. She had never met the president of
+Hamilton College personally, and since she had known of Miss Remson's
+grievance she had experienced a certain loss of respect for him. She was
+therefore indifferent as to whether she delivered the letter to him or
+to a member of the family.
+
+As she mounted the steps to his home, which looked like a smaller
+edition of Wayland Hall, the front door opened and a young woman stepped
+out upon the veranda. She was a tall thin girl with pale blue eyes and
+straight heavy brown hair. Her features non-descript, her entire make-up
+was colorless rather than interesting. As the two girls passed each
+other on the veranda, the tall girl cast a sharp glance at Marjorie. A
+close observer would have characterized it as distinctly unfriendly.
+Marjorie was not even aware of it. Her mind was not on the stranger.
+
+"Is Doctor Matthews at home?" she courteously inquired of the maid who
+answered her ring.
+
+"Yes, Miss. Who shall I say wishes to see him. Have you an appointment
+with him?"
+
+"No. I have a letter for him from Miss Humphrey, the registrar. She has
+requested me to deliver it personally."
+
+"Please come in. I will tell the doctor." The maid disappeared into a
+room at the right of the colonial hall. Quickly returning, she said: "In
+there, Miss." She pointed to the door which she had left partially open.
+
+The president was seated at a flat-topped mahogany desk. He rose as
+Marjorie entered and came forward to meet her.
+
+"Good afternoon," he greeted, in the deep, pleasant voice which made his
+addresses a delight to the ear. "Norah tells me you have a note for me
+from Miss Humphrey."
+
+"Good afternoon," Marjorie returned. "Here is the note. Miss Humphrey
+said there would be no answer." She half turned as though to depart.
+
+"Just a moment." The doctor was regarding her with keen but friendly
+eyes. "You are not of the clerical force at Hamilton Hall. Let me think.
+You are a sophomore, are you not?" He asked the question triumphantly,
+smiling as he spoke.
+
+"Yes; I am a sophomore." Marjorie's brown eyes held polite amazement.
+
+"I am very proud of my memory for faces," Doctor Matthews continued. "I
+rarely forget a face, though I do not always remember names. You were
+one of the freshman ushers at Commencement last June. Now you have come
+into sophomore estate. How do you like it?"
+
+"Better than being a freshman." It was Marjorie's turn to smile. "I am
+so much better acquainted with Hamilton College now. I am sure there
+isn't another college in the world half so fine." She blossomed into
+involuntary enthusiasm. "Mr. Brooke Hamilton must have been a wonderful
+man. He planned everything here so nobly."
+
+"He was, indeed, a man of noble character and true spirituality. I would
+rather be president of Hamilton College than any other college I have
+ever visited or been connected with. I revere the memory of Brooke
+Hamilton. It is unfortunate we know so little of him. His great-niece,
+Miss Susanna Hamilton, lives at Hamilton Arms. She is the last of the
+Hamilton family. Unfortunately for the college, she became incensed at
+the churlish behavior toward her of a member of the Board whose estate
+adjoined hers. This was many years ago. She had been on the verge of
+turning over to the college a great deal of interesting data regarding
+Brooke Hamilton which was private family history. Doctor Burns, then
+president of Hamilton, was to write the biography of the lovable founder
+of our college. After the falling-out with the Board member she refused
+to give up the data. Since then she has ignored the college. Brooke
+Hamilton's biography yet remains to be written."
+
+"A case of the innocent having to suffer with the guilty," Marjorie
+said, her eyes very bright. She was privately exultant to have learned
+this bit of news of the Hamiltons. She had heard that the last of the
+Hamiltons, a woman, lived at Hamilton Arms. Leila had told her a little
+concerning the present owner of the Hamilton estate.
+
+After a few further remarks on the subject of Hamilton College, she
+gracefully took her leave. As she stepped from the hall to the veranda,
+she encountered the same young woman she had met on her way into the
+house. This time the girl was seated in one of the porch rockers. Her
+eyes, as they fixed themselves on Marjorie, looked more unfriendly than
+ever. Marjorie caught the hostile import of this second prolonged stare.
+
+"What a hateful face that girl had," she thought, as she continued down
+the walk. "I don't recall ever having seen _her_ before. I'd certainly
+have remembered that face. Perhaps she's a relative of Doctor Matthews.
+She seems to be quite at home."
+
+Returned to Wayland Hall, Marjorie's first act was to go to Lucy's room
+to give her Miss Humphrey's message. This time she found Lucy in but
+alone.
+
+"Where's Ronny?" she inquired, after she had explained to Lucy the
+registrar's present difficulty, "I haven't seen her except at meals for
+two days."
+
+"She's out with Leila and Vera waiting for the election returns. They
+are anxious to find out if Phil won."
+
+"Hope she did," was Marjorie's fervent wish. "You can never guess in a
+thousand years to whom I was talking this afternoon."
+
+"I'm a poor guesser. You'd better tell me," Lucy said in her concise
+fashion.
+
+"All right, I will. It was President Matthews." Lucy's greenish eyes
+turning themselves on her in astonishment, Marjorie laughed, then went
+on to relate the circumstances.
+
+Lucy listened with the profound interest of a wise young owl. "What do
+you think of him?" she asked reflectively, when Marjorie had finished.
+"Does he seem the kind of man that would do a person an injustice? I'm
+thinking of Miss Remson now."
+
+"I thought of her, too, while I was in his office," Marjorie responded.
+"No; he doesn't appear to be anything but broad-minded and just. Still,
+we mustn't forget that his name was signed to that letter."
+
+"Did you see his secretary?" Lucy quizzed. "She is over at his house some
+of the time. He is usually at Hamilton Hall until one o'clock in the
+afternoon, then he goes home. I understand he transacts a good deal of
+college business at his home office."
+
+"I didn't see anyone but the maid who answered the door and the
+president. Oh, I'll take that back. I saw a girl coming out of the house
+as I was going up the steps. When I came out I saw her again. She was
+sitting on the veranda. She had such a disagreeable expression. I
+noticed it particularly the second time I saw her."
+
+"Describe her," Lucy tersely commanded.
+
+Marjorie complied, giving a fairly good description of the stranger.
+
+"That girl----" Lucy paused impressively, "is the president's
+secretary."
+
+"Really?" Marjorie's brown eyes opened to their widest extent.
+
+"Yes; really. I told Miss Remson the morning we were in her office that
+I intended to find out all I could about Doctor Matthews' secretary. I
+have not found out anything much about her except that she is not a
+student. But I have seen her. Kathie knows her by sight. She pointed her
+out to me one afternoon. We passed her on the campus. She was going
+toward Doctor Matthews' house. I did not like her looks. I feel that she
+was at the bottom of Miss Remson's trouble and it would not surprise me
+to learn that she is in with the Sans. Unfortunately I have no way of
+proving it. I believe it, just the same."
+
+"There was something queer about that whole affair," Marjorie agreed.
+"You remember Helen said that, if the Sans were insolent and
+supercilious when they came back to the Hall, it would mean they had had
+information beforehand and were sure of their ground. Well, they were
+very much like that. They acted as though they owned the Hall.
+
+"I noticed that, for I watched them particularly. I think Miss Sayres,
+that's the secretary's name, is the one who helped them. I hope some day
+to be able to prove it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE RENDEZVOUS.
+
+
+The noisy entrance into the room of Muriel, Jerry, Leila, Vera and
+Ronny, with the disappointing news that Phyllis had lost the freshman
+presidency by only nine votes, broke up the confidential session.
+
+"We went to our room first but you were not to be seen. Thought you'd be
+here. Last I saw of you you had started on a hunt for Lucy. Isn't it a
+shame about the election? To think that Walbert snip won!" Jerry
+elevated her nose in utter disapproval. "Won't the Sans crow? They will
+blow her off to dinners and spreads for a week to come. I hope she gets
+an awful case of indigestion."
+
+"How very cruel you are, Jeremiah." Nevertheless, Ronny laughed with the
+others. Jerry's hopes for the downfall of her enemies were usually
+energetic and sweeping.
+
+"I can be a lot more cruel than that," she boasted. "It made me tired to
+hear those sillies had elected that girl to the class presidency. Glad
+I'm not a freshie. They will rue it before the year is up. Phil's
+supporters are as mad as hops."
+
+Many of the upper-class girls shared Jerry's opinion. The Sans' open
+championship of Elizabeth Walbert had excited unfavorable comment on the
+campus. While the upper-class students aimed to be helpful elder sisters
+to the freshmen, college etiquette forbade a too-marked interest in
+freshman affairs. The Sans had over-reached themselves and were bound to
+come in for adverse criticism in college circles where tradition was
+still respected.
+
+The Sans, however, were oblivious to everything save the fact that they
+had gained their point. Leslie Cairns was radiant over the victory and
+gave an elaborate dinner that evening at the Colonial in honor of
+Elizabeth. Besides the Sans, Alida Burton and Lola Elster, twenty-two
+freshmen were invited. She engaged the restaurant for the evening and
+spared no pains and expense to make the dinner what she termed "a
+howler."
+
+Following on the heels of her triumph strode calamity. The mail next
+morning brought her a letter which lashed her into a furious rage. It
+was a terse summons to appear at Doctor Matthews' office at eleven
+o'clock that morning. More, the four lines comprising it had been
+penned, not typed. Her instant surmise was that the summons had to do
+with the recent accident of Katherine Langly. She could think of no
+other reason for it, unless--Leslie turned pale. There was another
+reason, but she preferred not to give it mind room. She boldly decided
+that she would ignore the letter that morning. She would receive a
+second summons. It would be easy enough to assert that she had not
+received a first. This would give her time to see a certain person and
+perhaps gain an inkling of what was in the wind.
+
+An interview with the "certain person" yielded nothing. That person was
+unable to throw light upon the reason for the summons. Two days elapsed,
+then Leslie received a second communication too austere to be
+disregarded. She went to the president's office in considerable
+trepidation and emerged from it an hour later, her heavy features set in
+anger. Undertaking to assume her usual nonchalant pose, she had been
+brought with alarming suddenness to a wholesome respect for Doctor
+Matthews' dignity. She had also received a lecture on reckless driving
+which she was not likely to forget.
+
+"While it seems unfair to deprive students who are careful drivers of
+the privilege of using their automobiles at college, simply because
+careless young women like you will not conform to the traffic
+conditions, it will come to that." Doctor Matthews was a study in cold
+severity as he made this threatening statement. "I shall take drastic
+measures if another accident occurs as a result of speeding or reckless
+driving on the part of a student. I have been informed, Miss Cairns,
+that you are in the habit of exceeding the speed limit. It is a
+particularly dangerous proceeding on the highways adjacent to the
+college on account of the number of students who make a practice of
+walking. Referring to the accident to Miss Langly. What restitution
+could you have made if her back had been permanently injured? There is
+nothing more pitiful than a helpless invalid. Remember that and see that
+you are not the one to cause lifelong unhappiness or death by an act of
+sheer lawlessness. Let this be the last offense of this kind on your
+part."
+
+Thus the president concluded his arraignment. Leslie left Hamilton Hall
+with but one flaming purpose. She would be even with the person or
+persons who had reported her to the president. Suspicion instantly
+pointed out "that Sanford crowd." She gave Katherine clearance of it,
+strange to say. She preferred to lay the blame at either the door of
+Marjorie or Jerry. Yet she had dark suspicions of Leila and Vera. Then
+there were the freshmen who had been in Harriet Stephens' car. Harriet
+had told her that they were in sympathy with Katherine's crowd. Whoever
+was to blame would suffer for it. On that point she was determined.
+
+Shortly after her return to Wayland Hall, she resolved to cut her
+classes that day. Leslie received a telephone call. It was not
+unexpected. She had notified the maid that she would be in her room in
+case she should be called on the 'phone. Her sullen features cleared a
+trifle as she listened to the voice at the other end of the wire.
+
+"All right," she said in guarded tones. The students had already begun
+to drop in from the last recitations of the morning. "Nine o'clock
+sharp. I'll walk. I'm not going to take chances of attracting attention.
+Yes, I know where you mean. It's not far from Baretti's. Don't fail me.
+Goodbye."
+
+On her way to her room she encountered Natalie. "Come with me," she said
+shortly.
+
+"Where were you this morning?" Natalie asked. "Professor Futelle was
+awfully fussed about absentees. Eight girls cut French today."
+
+"Where was I? I was in bad, I'll say. What? Well, I guess. I got a
+second summons this A. M. I couldn't side-step it. His high and
+mightiness had the whole story of the accident from some tattle-tale. He
+wouldn't give me a chance to say a word hardly. One more break in the
+speeding line and our cars go home for good. He certainly laid down the
+law to me. I've a mind to tell you something else." Leslie paused before
+the door of her room, hand on the knob.
+
+"What is it? You know I never tell tales, Les." Natalie eyed the other
+girl reproachfully. "That's more than you can say of your other pals."
+
+"You are right about that, Nat," Leslie conceded. She motioned Natalie
+into the room and closed the door. "Laura says she knows who told Doctor
+Matthews. I'm to meet her tonight. Keep that dark. I don't want a person
+besides you to know it. I'm to meet her behind that clump of lilac
+bushes the other side of Baretti's. You know; where that old house was
+torn down."
+
+Natalie nodded. She was inwardly jubilant at having thus been given
+Leslie's confidence. It was quite like old times. "Have you any idea who
+told?" she questioned, trying to hide her gratification under an air of
+calm interest.
+
+"No. I'm positive it wasn't Langly. She gave me her word that she would
+drop the whole thing. A goody-goody dig like her would not break it.
+I'll tell you as soon as I come back. Come here at ten. I shall not be
+later than ten-fifteen. I intend to put up a 'Busy' sign tonight so as
+to keep the girls out of here before I start. They know better than to
+try to get by it, too."
+
+At precisely twenty minutes to nine that evening Leslie took the "Busy"
+placard from her door and locking it proceeded to the rendezvous. She
+had put on a long dark motor coat and a black velour sports hat. The
+instant she had left the Hall's premises behind her she pulled the hat
+low over her face and broke into a run. An expert tennis player, she was
+swift and nimble of foot. Only once she paused, stepping behind a
+thicket of rhododendron bushes until a party of girls returning from
+town passed by. Once off the campus, she kept to the darker side of the
+road and was soon at the designated spot.
+
+Her brisk run had brought her to the meeting place ahead of time. It was
+five minutes before the faint sound of a footfall among the fallen
+leaves rewarded her small stock of patience. Leslie's hand sought the
+pocket of her coat. A tiny stream of white light outlined the figure now
+very close to her. Instantly she snapped off the light with a soft
+ejaculation of satisfaction.
+
+"You should not have turned that light on me," objected the other dark
+figure rather pettishly. "We might be seen from the road."
+
+"Not a soul passing," Leslie assured. "I was not going to take chances
+of hailing the wrong party."
+
+"Please remember that I have to be even more careful than you. No one
+must ever be allowed to suspect that we know each other." Laura Sayres
+spoke with cool precision.
+
+"Is that what you came all the way here to tell me?" Leslie gave a
+short laugh. It announced that she was on the verge of being unpleasant.
+
+"Of course it isn't." Laura prudently retreated from her lofty stand.
+While she enjoyed grumbling, she was too cowardly at heart to venture to
+do more. "I couldn't say a word over the 'phone today. I will tell you
+now and quickly for I have a long walk home and the road is quite lonely
+in places."
+
+"Sorry I couldn't bring my car, but I didn't dare," carelessly
+apologized Leslie. She divined that Laura was somewhat peeved because
+she had not.
+
+"Oh, it doesn't matter. Now I don't know just how much this information
+will be worth to you--" Miss Sayres paused. "I can only--"
+
+"Give it to me and I'll do the square thing by you." Leslie frowned in
+the darkness.
+
+"Oh, I don't mean in money," weakly defended Miss Sayres. "I mean that
+it's circumstantial. You must form your own opinion from what I tell
+you."
+
+"I understand." Leslie quite understood that despite the secretary's
+protest she was not above being mercenary. "Go ahead."
+
+"Last Tuesday afternoon about five o'clock I was just starting for home
+from Doctor Matthews' house, when who should come marching up the walk
+but Miss Dean," related Laura. "I wondered what brought her there. As
+soon as the maid let her in I turned and went back. I had made up my
+mind to wait around until she came out. I have a key to the front door
+now. One day when college first opened the doctor sent me over to the
+house for some papers he needed. No one was at home and I had to go back
+to Hamilton Hall without them. He had a key made for me right after
+that. You see I occupy a position of trust. No wonder I have to be
+careful."
+
+"I see; but what about Miss Dean?" Leslie promptly switched the
+secretary back to her original subject.
+
+"I am coming to that. I decided after I got as far as the veranda to let
+myself into the house. I supposed Miss Dean had come to see the doctor.
+The minute I stepped inside I heard voices. The door of the office was
+open just a little. I did not dare stand in the hall so I slipped into
+the living room. It is directly opposite the office. I couldn't
+understand a word Miss Dean said, but I heard the doctor say he was
+incensed at the behavior of someone, and that they would have to come
+before the Board. Then he said that if someone, I couldn't find out who,
+refused to do something or other, she would have to leave college. It
+remained for him to write her.
+
+"I heard Miss Dean say very plainly: 'It is a case of the innocent
+having to suffer with the guilty.' They talked a little more, but both
+lowered their voices. I heard the doctor's chair turn and knew he was
+going to get up from it. I made the quickest move I ever made and slid
+out the door. I had left it a little open. Sure enough, in a minute or
+two Miss Dean came out of the house and went away."
+
+"I think that's pretty good proof against the foxy little wretch."
+Leslie's voice was thick with wrath. She was still smarting from the
+morning's humiliation. "I wish I could tell you how I hate that little
+sneak. I'll get back at her, believe me."
+
+"I certainly would, if I were you. Just to be on the safe side I went
+into the house and stopped at the office door. I said, 'If you have
+nothing more for me to do I will go now, Doctor Matthews.' I thought
+perhaps he would ask me to write the letter he had spoken of. Not he. He
+said: 'No, thank you, Miss Sayres. You need not have waited.' So I had
+no excuse to stay."
+
+"That's another proof. The letter he sent me was penned. You have picked
+the culprit, all right enough. I have an idea I know how to deal with
+her." Leslie threatened in an excess of spite. "One thing more and then
+we must beat it. Do you believe that Remson affair will ever leak out?
+I shiver every time I think of it. That was a bold stroke."
+
+"It doesn't worry me. I know enough about Miss Remson to know she will
+keep far away from Doctor Matthews after the letter she received from
+him. The one he received from her, after she had been over to see him,
+made him think she had had a heart-to-heart talk with you girls and
+you'd all promised to do differently. He wouldn't interfere after that.
+Unless they should happen to meet, which isn't likely, matters will stay
+as they are. I destroyed the letter supposed to be from Miss Remson. The
+doctor told me to file it, but if he ever asked for it I would pretend
+not to be able to find it. He wouldn't remember what she wrote. While I
+am his secretary I can manage the affair. As time passes it will be
+forgotten. Doctor Matthews would not mention it if he happened to meet
+Miss Remson. That's not his way."
+
+"Glad to hear it. It lifts a weight from my mind. I've only one more
+year at Hamilton after this. My father expects me to be graduated with
+honor. He would never forgive me if I were to be expelled from Hamilton
+at this late date." Leslie was moved out of her usual indifferent pose.
+Fear of exposure gripped her hard at times.
+
+"Better let this Miss Dean alone," was Laura's succinct advise. "I hear
+she is very popular on the campus. She looks independent enough to take
+up for herself. Be careful she doesn't turn the tables on you as she did
+last spring."
+
+"Not this time. She won't like my methods, but she won't be able to
+prove that they are mine. In fact she won't know where to place the
+blame."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+FAIR PLAY AND NO FAVORS.
+
+
+Phyllis Moore accepted her defeat with the easy grace which was hers.
+Her freshman supporters were not so ready to give in. They gave up the
+ghost with marked displeasure. Forty-five members of the class had voted
+for her. They had shown open and hearty disapproval of Elizabeth
+Walbert. The other three officers were more to their liking, but the
+Sans' electioneering had left a rift in the freshman lute which promised
+plenty of discord later on. Though every member of the class had
+attended the picnic as a matter of courtesy, the finer element had been
+privately weary of the affair before the afternoon was over. The Sans'
+efforts to mould the freshmen to their views merely resulted in
+amalgamating stray groups to one solid formation. A fact they were
+presently to discover.
+
+The election of officers had occurred much later than was the rule. The
+excitement attendant upon it had hardly died out before the freshman
+frolic loomed large on their horizon. With the sophomore class almost
+entirely free from snobbish influences, the dance promised to be an
+occasion of undiluted enjoyment. The humbler freshmen off the campus
+were the first to receive invitations from the sophs. Those sophs who
+still clung to the Sans were only a handful. The freshies of Elizabeth
+Walbert's faction found that the majority of them would be without
+special escort unless the juniors or seniors came to their rescue.
+
+Rallied to duty by Alida Burton and Lola Elster, the Sans magnanimously
+stepped into the breach. They, in turn, brought certain of their junior
+and senior allies to the aid of the escortless. It was a sore point,
+however, among a number of freshmen who had voted for Miss Walbert that
+the sophomores had passed them by for mere off-the-campus students. It
+served as a quiet lesson by which a few of them afterward profited.
+
+Eager to regain her lost laurels, Natalie Weyman was insistent that Lola
+and Alida should ask the entertainment committee to give another Beauty
+contest.
+
+"What do you take me for?" was Lola's derisive reply when Natalie asked
+her for the third time to try to bring the contest about. "I'd just as
+soon ask Prexy Matthews to dye his hair pink as to ask those snippies to
+give a Beauty parade. Kiss yourself good-bye, Nat. You didn't win it
+last year. Nuff said."
+
+Whereupon Natalie took pains to confide to anyone who would listen to
+her that she thought Lola Elster the rudest, slangiest person she had
+ever had the misfortune to meet.
+
+Marjorie could not recall a festivity for which she had worked hard
+beforehand and enjoyed more than the preparation for the freshman hop.
+Going to the woods to gather the spicy, fragrant pine boughs and
+gorgeous armfuls of autumn leaves and scarlet mountain ash berries for
+decorations was purest pleasure. No less did she revel in the hours
+spent in beautifying the gymnasium in honor of the baby class. Everyone
+concerned in the labor was so good-natured and jolly that an atmosphere
+of harmony permeated the big room and hovered over it on the night of
+the frolic.
+
+Even the Sans appeared to imbibe a little of that genial atmosphere and
+behaved at the frolic with less arrogance than was their wont when
+appearing socially. Leslie Cairns alone of them flatly refused to be
+present. She wheedled Joan Myers into escorting Elizabeth Walbert to the
+dance and remained in her room in a magnificent fit of sulks. She was
+too greatly inflamed against Marjorie to endure going where she would be
+in close touch with her for an evening. She therefore amused herself
+that evening in planning the cherished move she intended to make against
+Marjorie.
+
+"Perhaps I ought not say it, but I had a good deal better time tonight
+than at the frolic last year," Muriel confided to her chums between
+yawns. Discipline being lax they had gathered in Ronny's and Lucy's room
+after the dance for a cup of hot chocolate and sweet crackers.
+
+"I know I had," emphasized Marjorie. "Everyone seemed to go in for a
+good time tonight."
+
+"The Sans unbent a little, didn't they?" commented Jerry. "That was
+because their boss stayed away. Those girls might become civilized in
+time without Leslie Cairns on the job."
+
+"They were a little more gracious," agreed Ronny. "I don't know how the
+rest of you feel about it. I am glad the frolic is over. I am tired. We
+have been stirred up ever since we came back to college. First over Miss
+Remson's trouble. Next came the Sans' move to grab all the freshmen.
+Then Kathie's accident, and after that the commotion over the freshie
+election. We were all keyed up to quite a pitch over that on account of
+Phil. Now the dance is over. What next? Nothing, I fondly hope. I am
+going to lead the student life, provided I am allowed to do it."
+
+"You forget basket ball," reminded Muriel.
+
+"I am going to try to forget it," retorted Ronny so wearily that her
+tone elicited a chorus of giggles. "I don't play the game, thank my
+stars!"
+
+"I shall, if I have a chance," Muriel asserted. "How about you,
+Marjorie?"
+
+"I am going to try for a place on the team this year," Marjorie
+announced in a purposeful manner. "I hope we get a fair try-out. I
+really want to play. I like Professor Leonard's appearance. Helen had
+quite a long talk with him the other day. He is a seasoned basket ball
+player. He played center on a western college team the whole four years
+of his college course. He is going to arrange for a series of try-outs
+to be held next week. He thinks each class ought to have its own team.
+The seniors never play, though."
+
+"Since those are his sentiments, they sound as if he were strictly on
+the square," approved Jerry. "I mean, he is a real basket-ball
+enthusiast. The real ones won't stand for unfairness."
+
+"Miss Reid will be a cipher in b. b. plans this year and I am good and
+glad of it," exulted Muriel. "Professor Leonard looks to me like a
+person who wouldn't show favoritism. He certainly has lots of the right
+kind of energy."
+
+Muriel's opinion of the young professor of physical culture proved
+correct. On Monday following the freshman dance, a notice appeared on
+the official bulletin board stating that on Tuesday, Wednesday,
+Thursday and Friday afternoon of that week basket-ball try-outs for
+freshman, sophomore, junior and senior teams, respectively, would be
+held at four-thirty o'clock in the gymnasium. It bore the pertinent
+signature: "James Leonard, Director Athletics and Gymnasium."
+
+Freshmen and sophomores hailed it with delight. The juniors were not so
+enthusiastic, though it was noised about that there would be a junior
+team composed of Sans, if they could manage to make it. The seniors from
+the height of their dignity smiled tolerantly but refused to commit
+themselves.
+
+Determined to be in touch with the game from the very beginning, Muriel,
+Jerry and Marjorie attended the freshman try-out. Ronny begged off on
+account of a chemical experiment she was anxious to make. Lucy declared,
+that, if she attended the sophomore try-out on Tuesday she considered
+that a sufficiency of basket ball.
+
+Under the expert and impartial direction of Professor Leonard, the
+freshman try-out was conducted with a snap and precision which left
+nothing to be desired in the minds of those students who had yearned for
+fair play. It brought confusion to a certain clique of freshmen, headed
+by Elizabeth Walbert, who had reckoned on some of their particular
+friends carrying off the honors and being appointed to the team. The
+despatch with which the aspirants were made up into squads and tried
+out against each other was a joy to witness. The energetic director
+weeded out the defective players in short order. His searching eyes
+missed not a movement, clever or bungling. The five girls finally picked
+to play on the official freshman team were a survival of the fittest.
+Among them was Phyllis Moore. Further, she was given the position of
+center and roundly complimented by the director for what he termed her
+"whirlwind" playing. This triumph pleased boyish Phyllis far more than
+winning the class presidency could have done. Barbara Severn, the
+Baltimore freshie, who Marjorie had looked out for on her arrival at
+Hamilton, won the position of right guard, and was also praised for her
+work.
+
+Once the team was chosen the director put them through fifteen minutes
+of snappy play. Their fast and nimble work elicited rousing cheers from
+the large audience of students who had dropped in to witness the
+try-out.
+
+"Isn't it great that both Phil and Barbara won?" bubbled Robin Page.
+Half a dozen Silverton Hall girls had joined Marjorie's group after the
+try-out, preparatory to giving the successful aspirants a special
+ovation as soon as they should leave the floor. "Phil and Barbara are
+awfully chummy, so they'll be pleased to the skies."
+
+"I think they are a great combination," returned Jerry. "They are our
+catches. We hooked them when we went freshie fishing. I like the way
+they look after Anna Towne, too. She is lucky to have them for pals."
+
+"Phil is very fond of her, you know," smiled Robin, "and Barbara is a
+dear. She is a real Southern aristocrat. She has the gentlest, kindest
+ways and the sweetest voice! She and Phil are the really great hopes of
+the freshman class, I think."
+
+"You know what the Bible says about the little leaven leavening the
+whole lump." Jerry spoke with sudden seriousness. "Maybe Phil and
+Barbara will turn out to be the particular kind of leaven the freshies
+need. I suppose they wouldn't feel especially complimented at being
+classed as a 'lump,' but then what they don't hear will never hurt
+them," she added, her serious face breaking into its irresistible little
+grin.
+
+"I only hope we do as well tomorrow as Phil and Barbara," Muriel said
+irrelevently, her brown eyes fixed in some trepidation on the alert
+director. "That man's eyes seem to be everywhere at once. Nothing gets
+by him."
+
+"We will have to hustle if we expect recognition from him, I know that.
+There are some fine players among the sophs, too. You know how well that
+team chosen after the fuss with Miss Reid could play. I think Robin is
+a better player than I," Marjorie turned to Robin with a smile.
+
+"No, siree! I have heard marvelous reports of your playing," differed
+Robin with energy.
+
+"You have a bitter disappointment ahead of you tomorrow then," retorted
+Marjorie. "You'll probably see me relegated to the scrub, sub or dub
+class."
+
+"I prophesy all three of you modest violets will make the team. The real
+exhibition will be on Thursday afternoon. The strenuous Sans and the
+dictatorial director; or, what's the use without Miss Reid? They will
+learn a few points of the game before he gets through with them. I
+wouldn't miss that try-out for a good deal." Jerry was deriving an
+impish satisfaction from the prospect of the Sans' encounter to come
+with Professor Leonard.
+
+The next afternoon brought a large and interested audience to the
+gymnasium. Robin Page had many well wishers in all three of the upper
+classes. Leila and Vera also headed a goodly company who were anxious to
+see Marjorie and Muriel make the team. The Sans came in a body to cheer
+Lola Elster and Alida Burton on to victory. They had attended the
+freshman try-out and seen a team selected which contained not one of
+their allies. They had also learned that Professor Leonard was not to be
+deceived for an instant. Only the fairest kind of fair play would be
+acceptable to him. Leslie Cairns was confident that Lola Elster would
+make the sophomore team. Of the skill of her junior chums as players she
+was openly doubtful. She rudely hooted at their avowed intention to
+enter the lists.
+
+"You girls are punk players, one and all. Why make simpletons of
+yourselves tomorrow?" she inquired of Joan and Natalie. "You need at
+least a month's drill to put you in trim. Proffy Smarty Alec will chase
+you off the floor."
+
+"You're so hateful, Les," bitterly complained Joan. "We stand as good a
+chance as can be at the junior try-out. I happen to know that we Sans
+are almost the only juniors who are going to try for the team. Some of
+us will be picked. He's a fine coach. He will soon put our team in good
+form."
+
+"Go to it and be happy," Leslie laughed. "You will so enjoy being ragged
+every three minutes by that conceited tyrant. I am not going to throw
+cold water on your fond hopes, but don't cry if he can't see you as a
+junior team."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+"GENERAL" CAIRNS TO THE RESCUE.
+
+
+The series of try-outs, plus the directorship of Professor Leonard,
+caused basket ball interest to soar to exceptional heights. The
+sophomore try-outs brought even a larger number of students to the scene
+than did the freshman test. About thirty-five sophs essayed to make the
+team. None of the aspirants could be classed as poor players, and it
+took the approving director a trifle longer than at the previous try-out
+to pick the team.
+
+Muriel was among the first two fives to be called to the floor. Always
+to be depended upon in bygone high school days, she had not fallen off
+as a player. During the fifteen minutes of brisk play, she was
+conspicuous by reason of her clever work with the ball. Watching her
+eagerly, Marjorie could only hope to do as well when her turn came to
+play.
+
+At Sanford High School she had often been rated by enthusiastic fans as
+the star player of the school. She had formerly loved the game and
+played it with all her might. Now the old delightful fascination for it
+thrilled her anew. She forgot everything save the fact that she was once
+more to tussle for the ball. Robin Page had been called to the opposing
+five. From the moment Professor Leonard put the ball in play at center
+she and Marjorie amply demonstrated their right to be classed as stars.
+Applause was not slow in coming from the interested spectators. The
+sophs raised their voices in cries of "Robin Page! Marjorie Dean!--Who
+are they? They're all right! Some players! Rah, rah, rah!" and similar
+calls of noisy appreciation. Even Professor Leonard smiled at the racket
+that ensued when Marjorie made a clever throw to basket after spiritedly
+dodging her opponents.
+
+When finally the try-out ended and the official soph team was named, it
+consisted of Robin, Muriel, Marjorie, Grace Dearborn and Marie Peyton.
+To Marjorie fell the honor of center and a more delighted, astonished
+girl than she would have been hard to find.
+
+"You deserve center," Robin delightedly wrung her hand. "You are a better
+player than I and I don't mind a bit. Oh, Marjorie! Think what fun we
+shall have whipping all the other teams. We have a wonderful five!"
+
+This was the consensus of opinion. Knowing fans were already predicting
+easy victories for the sophomore team that season. The moment the
+winning five had been announced Lola Elster disappeared. Her
+mortification at having failed to make the team would not permit her to
+remain and meet the Sans. She knew Leslie Cairns would be disappointed,
+and, consequently, in a bad humor. Her own state of chagrin was such
+that a word from Leslie would have brought on a quarrel. Lola prudently
+decided to vanish until the keen edge of Leslie's displeasure should
+have worn itself off.
+
+The fast playing they had witnessed that afternoon went far to dampen
+the Sans' ardor to try for the junior team. That evening they held a
+consultation in Joan's room on the subject. In the end, however, they
+could not resist the desire to make themselves prominent. They agreed to
+play their best, and, if chosen, to hire a coach and practice
+assiduously. Leslie was present at the discussion and brimming with
+derision. "You had better keep off the floor," was her rough advice.
+"You'll make a worse showing than Lola did and she was hopeless."
+
+Spurred by Leslie's jibes the Sans resolved to put forth every effort at
+their try-out to make a decent showing. Other than themselves there were
+not more than half a dozen aspirants. Thus their chances were good.
+Having closely watched the director's methods at two try-outs they knew
+what would be expected of them. They had also learned a number of things
+about basket ball that they had not known before. Whether they could
+apply this knowledge to their own playing on such short notice was a
+question.
+
+When the fateful junior try-out was over, Professor Leonard was of the
+private opinion that he had made a mistake in attempting to carry basket
+ball beyond the sophomore year. Nevertheless he selected a team from
+junior material, such as it was, and proceeded to tersely address them.
+Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Harriet Stephens represented the Sans.
+The other two players chosen were a Miss Hale and a small sprightly
+junior, Nina Merrill.
+
+"You young women are all sadly out of practice. You can play a fair game
+if you go to work and spend some time on the floor. You are away behind
+the freshmen and sophomores. You would be white-washed by either team if
+you met them now. Your playing is too slow. Learn to move fast. That is
+essential in basket ball. On a man's team, the moment a player begins to
+show a slowing down he is dropped. Quick work; that is the beauty of
+this game. Come here regularly for practice and I will help you."
+
+The frank opinion of the director, delivered in impersonal kindness,
+the Sans found hard to swallow. Self-willed and self-centered, they bore
+honest criticism very badly. Neither were they appreciative of his offer
+to aid them in their practice.
+
+"I think it is fine in Professor Leonard to offer to help us," ventured
+Nina Merrill to Joan Myers as the director walked away. The team had
+been standing in a group during the short address.
+
+"Really, I hadn't thought about it." Joan's tones were chilling. Nina
+was a nobody in her estimation and must be treated as such.
+
+"You must be most unappreciative." Stung by the snub she had received,
+Nina spoke straight from her heart. Then she turned and walked away.
+
+"Why, the idea!" An angry flush overspread Joan's face. To be treated to
+a dose of her own medicine did not set well.
+
+Just then Leslie Cairns joined them and Joan forgot her outraged
+feelings.
+
+"Come along," ordered Leslie. "Get your togs changed in a hurry. I am
+going to blow you three girls to eats at the Ivy. Beat it out of the
+dressing room without saying where you're going. I want to talk to you
+three and I am not strong for entertaining the gang. You did better than
+I thought you would. What was Leonard haranguing you about?"
+
+"He raked us down for being out of practice. Said he would coach us if
+we'd come regularly to the gym." Natalie made a contemptuous gesture.
+
+"Tell him to fly away," shrugged Leslie. "You don't need his coaching. I
+have a better plan. Let's be moving."
+
+The quartette walked away without a word of farewell to Ruth Hale, who
+had been standing near them. She was also beneath their notice.
+
+"You had a lot to say about _our_ punk playing before the try-out, Les.
+What do you think of Lola? She certainly didn't distinguish herself."
+Natalie could not conceal her satisfaction at Lola's failure.
+
+"Don't mention it." Leslie's heavy brows met. "I was sore enough at the
+little dummy to shake her. She let the other five put it all over her. I
+haven't seen her since she flivvered and I don't want to."
+
+"She never could play basket ball," was Natalie's lofty assertion.
+
+"She didn't show any signs of it yesterday," Leslie grimly agreed. "I'll
+meet you girls at the garage," she directed with a brusque change of
+subject. "I am going over there for my car. It's good way to lose the
+gang. They won't look for us there."
+
+"What do you think of Les?" inquired Joan with raised brows as the two
+girls entered the dressing room. "Before Lola flivvered she was simply
+insufferable. Today she is positively affable. She's down on Lola.
+That's one reason."
+
+"I wish she'd stay down on her," responded Natalie with fervor. "Les and
+I have never been as good pals since Lola Elster entered Hamilton."
+
+"Now listen to me, Nat. Leslie likes you just as well as she ever did."
+Joan broke forth with some impatience. "She runs around with Lola and
+Bess Walbert, I know, and makes a fuss over them. She is perfectly aware
+that it makes you sore. She does it to be tantalizing. Les likes to keep
+something going all the time. It is a wonder to me that she hasn't been
+expelled from college for some of the tricks she has put over. What you
+must do is to pay no attention to her when she is aggravating. Don't
+quarrel with her. She enjoys that. Simply behave as though you couldn't
+see her at all. It will cure her. I'd rather see her chummy with you
+than Lola or Bess, either. Bess Walbert can't tell the truth to save her
+neck, and Lola is a selfish kid who thinks of no one but herself."
+
+"That's all true, Joan," Natalie said with unusual meekness. "I will
+really try to treat Les as you suggest."
+
+It was not necessary that evening to treat Leslie as Joan had advised.
+She was amiability itself. After ordering dinner, composed of the most
+expensive items on the menu, she rested her elbows on the table and
+announced: "I am going to hire a coach for you three girls. I have the
+address of an all-around sportsman who will teach you a few plays that
+no one can get by."
+
+"But, Les, we can't do much with only three to play," objected Joan.
+"You don't want those two sticks of juniors at our private practice do
+you?"
+
+"Not so you could notice them. You won't have to play a trio. The coach
+will make four and----" Leslie paused. "I shall make a fifth. I need the
+exercise. The coach needs the money. Besides, I propose to hire a hall."
+
+Joan and Natalie tittered at this last. Leslie smiled in her
+loose-lipped fashion.
+
+"I met this man at the beach last summer. He was coaching a private
+track team. He knows every trick in the sports category. He told me
+there were lots of ways of fussing one's opponents in basket ball
+besides treating them roughly. He said he had a regular line of what he
+called 'soft talk' that he had used with splendid effect. He gave me his
+address and said if ever I needed his services to write him. I had told
+him enough about the game here so he understood me. I understand him,
+too. This is my idea," she continued, leaning far forward and lowering
+her voice.
+
+For ten minutes she talked on, her listeners paying strict and
+respectful attention.
+
+"It's a great plan," admiringly approved Joan when Leslie had finished.
+"It will take cleverness and nerve, though."
+
+"I doubt if I can do it," deprecated Harriet.
+
+"Certainly you can do it. After you work a week or two with this coach
+and learn his methods you will be O. K. You will have to give three
+afternoons a week to it; maybe more. I'll drive to Hamilton and hire
+that hall tomorrow. I'll wire the coach before we go back to the campus
+tonight. He's in New York and I can have him here by Saturday."
+
+"It's going to cost oodles of money. Why are you so bent on doing it,
+Les?" Joan asked curiously.
+
+"I won't be kept out of things." Leslie turned almost fiercely upon her
+questioner. "I loathe that nippy Robina Page and I hate Marjorie Dean
+and her crowd. They can play basket ball, I'll admit. I'll show them
+they are not the only stars. You girls have got to take a game away from
+them. You are not to play them for a while. You are to whip the freshies
+first. They are a handful, too. Later, you are to beat the sophs. With
+the help of Ramsey, this coach, you can do it, and I know it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+"THE SOFT TALK."
+
+
+The senior try-out did not take place on Friday. No aspirants appeared
+at the gymnasium. The seniors were not ambitious to shine as basket-ball
+stars. The freshmen went to work at once to perfect their playing under
+the willing guidance of Professor Leonard. The soph team was not quite
+so zealous, but put in at least two afternoons a week at practice. This
+team was the pride of the active director's heart. He assured them more
+than once that they could meet a team of professional men players and
+acquit themselves with credit. If he wondered why the junior five did
+not take advantage of his offer, he made no comment. While he took a
+deep interest in basket ball, he left all the arrangements of the games
+to the senior sports committee, preferring to allow them to do the
+managing.
+
+Owing to the delay in forming the teams, no games were scheduled to be
+played until after Thanksgiving. Directly college routine was resumed
+after that holiday the freshmen challenged the sophomores to meet them
+on the eighth of December. The sophs graciously accepted the challenge
+and beat the freshies after one of the hardest fought contests that had
+ever taken place at Hamilton. The score stood 24-22 in favor of the
+sophs when the game ended, and the tumult which ensued could be heard
+half way across the campus. The freshmen had fought so gallantly they
+came in for almost as much acclamation as the winners.
+
+Ready to give the defeated team an opportunity to square itself, the
+sophs challenged the freshmen to meet them on the following Saturday.
+The unexpected illness of Phyllis Moore, who contracted a severe cold on
+the eve of the game, resulted in a postponement. The freshmen team did
+not wish to play without Phyllis, though they announced themselves ready
+to do so by appointing a sub to her position. The sophs, however, would
+not hear to this. Thus the postponement was satisfactory to all
+concerned.
+
+The junior team, in the meantime, were keeping strictly in the
+background. Secretly the coach, Milton Ramsey, had been established in a
+hotel in the town of Hamilton and was busily engaged with Leslie's team.
+Never had Joan, Harriet and Natalie had to work so hard. Not only must
+they practice in secret. Leslie decreed that they would have to
+practice in the gymnasium with the other two chosen members of the team
+in order to keep up appearances. She was a hard taskmaster, but she kept
+her companions in good humor by expensive presents and treats. Further,
+she assured them that once they had beaten the sophs they could drop
+basket ball for the rest of the year.
+
+The rest of the Sans were not blind to the fact that the four girls were
+deep in some private scheme of their own. Coolly informed by Leslie to
+mind their own affairs and they would live longer and wear better, they
+gossiped about the situation among themselves and let it go at that. The
+majority of them were not doing well in their subjects and they were
+constrained to turn their attention for a time to the more serious side
+of college.
+
+Christmas came, with its dearly coveted home holidays, and the Lookouts
+gladly laid down their books for the bliss of being re-united with their
+home folks and beloved friends. This time Lucy Warner spent Christmas at
+home, taking Katherine with her. A four weeks' illness of Miss
+Humphrey's secretary had given Lucy the position of substitute. This
+unexpected stretch of work had furnished her the means with which to
+spend Christmas with her mother. The registrar privately remarked to
+President Matthews that Lucy was the most able secretary she had ever
+employed.
+
+For a week following the Christmas vacation, spreads and jollifications
+were the order in the campus houses. As Jerry pensively observed, after
+a feast in Leila's room, the world seemed principally made of fruit
+cakes, preserves and five-pound boxes of chocolates.
+
+"I'm always crazy to go home at Christmas, yet it is pretty nice to be
+back here again," she remarked to Marjorie one evening soon after their
+return to Hamilton, as she sealed and addressed a long letter to her
+mother.
+
+"I am so homesick the first two or three days after I come back that
+nothing seems right," Marjorie said rather soberly. "College soon
+swallows that up, though. I think about General and Captain just as
+often, but it doesn't hurt so much. Goodness knows we have enough to
+busy us here. My subjects are so difficult this term. Then there's
+basket ball. The freshmen are clamoring now for a game. Our team will
+re-issue that challenge soon, I know."
+
+"What do those junior basket-ball artists think they are going to do, I
+wonder?" Jerry tilted her nose in disdain. "I hear they are practicing
+quite regularly in the gym. They simply ignore Professor Leonard. I mean
+the three Sans. Miss Hale and Miss Merrill are awfully cross about it.
+They have to play with the team, and it seems Leslie Cairns is coaching
+it, or trying to."
+
+"I heard she was. I didn't know she could play. Funny the juniors don't
+challenge either the freshies or us."
+
+"They wouldn't win from either team." Jerry shook a prophetic head. "The
+Sans seem to have settled down to minding their own affairs since Kathie
+was hurt. I guess that subdued them a little. They slid out of that
+scrape easily. Hope they practice minding their own business for the
+rest of the year. Ronny says she is amazed that they can do so."
+
+Three days later the sophomore team re-issued their challenge. Sent to
+the freshmen on Monday, the game took place on the Saturday after.
+Another battle was waged and the score at the close of the game was
+28-26 in favor of the sophs. It seemed that the freshmen could not
+surmount the fatal two points. Deeply disappointed, they bore the defeat
+with the greatest good nature. They were too fond of the victors to show
+spleen. Nothing daunted, they challenged the sophs to meet them again
+two weeks from that Saturday.
+
+The next Monday a surprise awaited them. They received a challenge from
+the junior team to play them on the Saturday of that week. Though not
+enthusiastic over the honor, they accepted. Nor could they be blamed for
+being privately confident that they would win the game. It stood to
+reason that if they could so nearly tie their score with the sophs, the
+juniors would not be difficult to vanquish.
+
+When Saturday rolled around and the game was called, they took the
+floor, quietly confident of victory. It seemed as though the entire
+student body had turned out to witness the game. There had been plenty
+of comment on the campus at Leslie Cairns' sudden whim of acting as
+coach. Curiosity as to what kind of showing the juniors would make as a
+result of her efforts at coaching had brought many girls to the scene.
+
+Before the game began the freshman team were somewhat puzzled at the
+extreme affability of the three Sans' members of the opposing team. The
+trio met them as they emerged from the dressing room and hailed them as
+though they had been long lost friends. The impression of this
+unexpected cordiality had not died out of the five freshmen's minds when
+the toss-up was made. As the game proceeded they became dimly aware that
+this fulsome show of affability was being continued. Pitted against the
+junior team, as they were, it was most annoying. Nor did the three Sans
+play the game in silence. Whenever they came into close contact with
+one or more of the freshmen, they had something to say. It was not more
+than a hasty sentence or two uttered in a peculiarly soft tone. The
+effect, however, was disconcerting. Soon it became maddening.
+Involuntarily the one addressed strained the ear to catch the import. A
+sudden exclamation or ejaculation would have passed unnoticed. This
+purposely continued flow of soft remark drew the attention of the hearer
+just enough to interfere with both speed and initiative.
+
+Not until the first half of the game had been played did it dawn fully
+upon the freshmen that they were being subjected to an interference as
+unfair as any bodily move to hamper would have been. Further, the three
+girls were doing it very cleverly. It was not hampering their playing in
+the least. Ruth Hale and Nina Merrill were playing with honest vim and
+in silence. Their sturdy work was equal to that of any of the opposing
+team save Phyllis. She was as brilliant a player as her cousin, Robin
+Page. Being, however, of a nervous, high-strung temperament, the three
+Sans' tactics had effected her most of all. As a consequence, she missed
+the basket two different times. Besides that, she grew disheartened with
+the thought that she was playing badly and missed opportunities at the
+ball that would never have ordinarily slipped by her.
+
+The end of the first half of the game found the score 12-8 in favor of
+the juniors. The instant it was over Phyllis, who captured her team,
+gathered them into one of the several small rooms off the gymnasium.
+
+"Girls," she said, in low intense tones, her blue eyes flashing, "you
+understand what those three Sans are trying hard to do. Miss Hale and
+Miss Merrill are innocent. We can complain to the sports committee and
+stop the game, but I'd rather not. Basket ball rules ban striking,
+tripping and such malicious interferences. They don't ban talking. These
+cheats know it. They annoyed me, because I wasn't expecting any such
+trick. I never played worse. We are four points behind. It's principally
+my fault, too. All we can do with dignity to ourselves is to try not to
+notice their ragging during the second half."
+
+"Queer kind of ragging," sputtered Janet Baird. "If they'd say mean
+things we'd know better how to take them. Miss Weyman said right in my
+ear, last half, 'You freshies certainly play a fast game. How do you do
+it?' Her voice was as sweet as could be. It got on my nerves. Only for a
+second or so, but long enough to take my attention from the ball. That
+was her object."
+
+The other members of the team had similar instances to relate. The ten
+minutes' rest between halves was turned into an indignation meeting.
+When the recall whistle blew, the incensed five took the floor in
+anything but the collected, impersonal mood the game demanded.
+
+The three Sans had spent their intermission talking to Leslie. She was
+in high good humor over the success of her scheme. "You have them going.
+Don't let up on them a minute. See that they don't make up those four
+points. Hale and Merrill are playing finely."
+
+"They don't suspect a thing, either," declared Natalie. "I am afraid
+those freshies will set up a squeal to the sports committee if we win."
+
+"If? You must win. No ifs about it," decreed Leslie. "What can they say?
+You haven't broken the rules of the game. If they make a kick about it
+they put themselves in the sorehead class."
+
+Thus encouraged by their leader, the elated trio returned to the floor
+primed for more mischief. Advised by Leslie, they kept quiet during the
+first five minutes. Expecting to be again assailed by the irritating
+murmurs, the freshmen met with a welcome silence on the part of their
+tormentors. It lasted just long enough for the ragging to be doubly
+irritating when it began afresh. Now on the defensive, the freshman five
+steeled themselves to endure it with stoicism. Nevertheless, it was a
+strain and put them at a subtle disadvantage. They managed to make up
+two of the points they had lost. Fate then entered the lists against
+them. Janet Baird made the serious mistake of throwing the ball into the
+wrong basket. This elicited vociferous cheering from junior fans and
+spurred their team on to the fastest playing they had done since the
+beginning of the game. Needless to say they dropped their unfair tactics
+at the last and fought with fierce energy to pile up their score. The
+freshmen also picked up on the closing few minutes, but the game ended
+24-20 in favor of the juniors.
+
+The losing team made straight for their dressing room, there to relieve
+their pent-up feelings. Very soon afterward they were visited by the
+sophomore team. They had attended the game in a body and had not been
+slow to see that things were all wrong.
+
+"Don't feel down-hearted about it," sympathized Marjorie, as Janet Baird
+began bewailing her unlucky mistake of baskets. "We know how things
+were. So do lots of others. If the juniors should challenge you to
+another game, don't accept the challenge. We sophs hope they will
+challenge us. We think they will and try the same tactics with us. Then
+we are going to teach them one good lesson. After that we shall ignore
+them as a team."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+A CLAIM ON FRIENDSHIP.
+
+
+After the sophomore five had heard a detailed account from Phyllis of
+what had occurred on the floor, they were more determined than ever on
+punishing the three offenders. The awkward hitch in their plans was the
+fact that Miss Hale and Miss Merrill, though players on the team, could
+not be included in their team mates' misdoings.
+
+"Some one ought to tell those two girls how matters stand," was Ronny's
+energetic opinion. "They must have been very dense not to see and hear
+for themselves. If they noticed nothing was wrong during the game, they
+must surely have heard things since. It's no secret on the campus. Talk
+about a good illustration in psychology! It was a deliberate attempt at
+retarding action by a malicious irritating of the mind. I think I ought
+to cite it in psychology class."
+
+Several days after the game Nina Merrill went privately to Phyllis and
+frankly asked her a number of questions. Receiving blunt answers which
+tallied with a rumor she had heard, she laid the matter before Ruth Hale
+and both girls resigned from the junior team. This put the remaining
+trio in a position they did not relish. The senior sports committee
+having received the resignations of the two indignant juniors accepted
+them without question. They appointed Dulcie Vale and Eleanor Ray, both
+substitute players, to fill the vacancies. As the Sans had been almost
+the only juniors to try for the team, the committee had little choice in
+the matter. Their appointment brought elation to their team mates and
+Leslie Cairns. "Ramsey will soon put them in good trim," she exulted.
+"Don't wait for those sulky freshies to challenge you. After the girls
+have had a week's practice, challenge the sophs and set the date two
+weeks away. That will give Dulcie and Nell plenty of time to learn the
+ropes."
+
+The Saturday following the disastrous game between freshmen and juniors
+saw the freshmen actually tie their score with the sophs. According to
+fans it was "one beautiful game" and the freshies left the floor vastly
+inspirited after their defeat of the previous week. Meanwhile the
+sophomores calmly awaited the junior challenge. They were better pleased
+to have the junior team composed entirely of Sans. They would have a
+quintette of the same stripe with which to deal.
+
+Before the challenge came, however, the St. Valentine masquerade, the
+yearly junior dance, given on February fourteenth, claimed attention. It
+was, perhaps, the most enjoyed of any Hamilton festivity. What girl can
+resist the lure of a bal masque? The socially inclined students often
+went to great pains and expense in the way of costumes. Three prizes
+were always offered; one for the funniest, one for the prettiest, and
+one for the most generally pleasing costume.
+
+"I don't know what to wear to the masquerade," Marjorie declared rather
+dolefully. The Five Travelers were holding a meeting in hers and Jerry's
+room. "I'm in despair."
+
+"Go as a French doll," suggested Ronny. "I have a pale blue net frock
+made over flesh-colored taffeta. It will be sweet for you. Shorten the
+skirt and it will make a stunning French doll costume. I have heelless
+blue dancing slippers to match."
+
+"You're an angel. Isn't she, Jeremiah?" Marjorie became all animation.
+"What are you going to wear, oh, generous fairy god-mother?"
+
+"My butterfly costume. The one I danced in at the Sanford campfire."
+
+"What are you going to mask as, Jeremiah," curiously inquired Lucy.
+"Every time I see you I forget to ask you."
+
+"I am going as an infant," giggled Jerry. "I shall wear a white lawn
+frock, down to my heels, and one of those engaging baby bonnets. I shall
+carry a rattle and a nursing bottle and wail occasionally to let folks
+know I am around."
+
+"I don't want to dress up, but I suppose I'll have to," grumbled Lucy.
+"I'll go as a school girl, I guess. I can wear a checked gingham dress I
+have and a white apron, by shortening them. White stockings and white
+tennis shoes will go well with it. I'll wear my hair down my back in two
+braids."
+
+"I shan't tell you what my costume's going to be. Only you will never
+know me on that night." Muriel made this announcement with a tantalizing
+smile.
+
+"I would know you anywhere," contradicted Jerry. "I'll bet you a dinner
+at Baretti's that I'll walk up to you after the grand march and say
+'Hello, Muriel.'"
+
+"I'll bet you you don't," was Muriel's confident reply.
+
+"This dance has put a large crimp in basket ball," Ronny suddenly
+observed. "It seems to be at a standstill. Vera said today that she
+heard the juniors had challenged you sophs."
+
+"Not yet," returned Marjorie. "Robin heard the same thing. She mentioned
+it to me after chemistry today. Maybe we are due to get a challenge
+tomorrow. If we do we will not take it up until after the dance. We
+don't care to be bothered with it now. Do we, Muriel?"
+
+"No, sir. After the masquerade is over we'll then turn our undivided
+attention to laying the juniors up for the winter. That may be the last
+game of the year, unless the freshies yearn for another. I am tired of
+playing, to tell you the truth. I don't intend to play next year."
+
+"Nor I," Marjorie said. "I like the good old game, but it takes up so
+much of one's spare time. I shall go in for long walks for exercise. I
+have never yet prowled around this part of the world as much as I
+pleased."
+
+"I see where I grow thin and sylph-like," beamed Jerry. "_I_ shall
+accompany you on those prowls."
+
+"I think I'll join the united prowlers' association, too," laughed
+Ronny. "I'd love to have a chance to prowl about Hamilton Arms, wouldn't
+you? I walked past there the other afternoon. They say that old house is
+simply filled with antiques. They also say that Miss Susanna Hamilton
+won't permit a student to set foot on the lawn. And all because she fell
+out with a member of the Board. He must have done something very
+serious."
+
+"It is too bad she has shut herself away from everyone," Marjorie mused.
+"She is probably unhappy. Leila says she looks like a little old robin.
+Her hair isn't very gray and she is quite energetic. She has a rose
+garden and digs in it a lot. Just to think. She could tell us the most
+_interesting_ things about Brooke Hamilton and we don't know her and
+never will."
+
+"Sad but true," agreed Jerry without sadness.
+
+During the short time that lay between them and the masquerade, the
+Lookouts spent their free hours in arranging their costumes. Ronny had
+to mend a broken place in one of her butterfly wings. Marjorie, Lucy and
+Jerry had to turn needlewomen. While Marjorie and Lucy had to shorten
+the skirts of their costumes, Jerry busied herself in laboriously
+finishing the infant dress she had been working on for over two weeks.
+"I'll never go back to infancy again, after the masquerade, believe me,"
+she disgustedly declared. "Let me tell you, this sweet little baby gown
+is fearfully and wonderfully made. I know, for I took every stitch in
+it."
+
+The day before the dance the sophomore team received the junior
+challenge to play them on the twenty-seventh of February. Purposely to
+keep their unworthy opponents on the anxious seat they did not
+immediately answer the notice sent them. "Let them wait until after the
+dance," Robin Page said scornfully. "If we had not determined to teach
+them a lesson, we would turn down their challenge and state our reason
+in good plain English."
+
+The evening of the St. Valentine masquerade was always a gala one on
+the campus. Dinner was served promptly at five-thirty. By seven o'clock,
+if the weather permitted, masked figures in twos, threes and groups
+might be seen parading the campus. Eight o'clock saw the beginning of
+the grand march. Unmasking took place at half-past nine. Then the dance
+continued merrily until midnight.
+
+Hurrying from Science Hall after her last recitation of the afternoon,
+Marjorie crossed the campus at a swift run. She was anxious to be early
+at the lavatory for a shower before the girls began to arrive there in
+numbers. Coming hastily into the hall she glanced at the bulletin board.
+In the rack above it, lettered with each resident's name, was mail for
+her. She gave a gurgle of pleasure as she saw that the topmost of two
+letters was in her mother's hand. The other was not post-marked, which
+indicated that it had come from someone at the college. She did not
+recognize the writing.
+
+Saving her mother's letter to read later, she tore open the other
+envelope as she went upstairs. On the landing beside a hall window she
+stopped and drew forth the contents. Her bright face clouded a trifle as
+she perused the note.
+
+"Dear Miss Dean: it read:
+
+    "It is too bad to trouble you when I know you are getting ready
+    for the masquerade, but could you come over to my boarding house
+    for a few minutes this evening at about half-past seven?  I am
+    in great trouble and need your advice.  I would ask you to come
+    earlier but this will be the best time for me.  We moved this
+    week to the house two doors below the one I used to live in, so
+    stop at 852 instead of going on to 856.  If you can find it in
+    your heart to come to me now I shall be deeply grateful.  I am
+    in sore need of a friend.  Please do not mention this to anyone.
+
+                                         "Yours sincerely,
+                                                     "Anna Towne."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+ALL ON ST. VALENTINE'S NIGHT.
+
+
+Marjorie swallowed an inconvenient lump that rose in her throat. She
+would go to Miss Towne, but it meant a total up-setting of her plans. As
+she could not guess the freshman's trouble she could not gauge her time.
+She might have to be gone for some time, although the note read "a few
+minutes." It was too bad. She felt a half desire to cry with
+disappointment. If she went at once she could get it over with and not
+miss the dance. But, no; the note specified half-past seven as the hour.
+
+Presently she rallied from her downcast mood and took sturdy hope.
+Perhaps, after all, she would not be detained long. She was sure Anna
+had done nothing wrong. It was more likely a financial difficulty which
+confronted her. That would not be so hard to adjust. Jerry would have to
+know. She decided that the other three Lookouts were entitled to know
+also. She might have to call on them for help in Anna's case. They were
+her close friends and fit to be trusted with a confidence. She claimed
+the right to use her own judgment in the matter.
+
+"What a shame!" was Jerry's disgruntled reception of the news. "I think
+it is selfish in her. Why couldn't she have waited until tomorrow? It is
+probably a financial difficulty. She isn't the kind of girl to break
+rules."
+
+"A member of her family may have died and she hasn't the money to go
+home. It must be really serious," Marjorie soberly contended. "I ought
+to go and I will. There is no snow on the ground. I can dress before I
+go and wear high overshoes and my fur coat and cap. Then, if I am not
+kept there long, I can hustle to the gym and be there before the
+unmasking."
+
+Better pleased with this arrangement, Marjorie hastily gathered up
+towels and toilet accessories and trotted off to the lavatory, leaving
+Jerry to frowningly re-read the note. Jerry did not like it at all. She
+wondered why Miss Towne could not have come to Wayland Hall instead of
+putting her chum to the extra trouble of seeking her.
+
+Dinner was eaten post haste that night by the excited participants in
+the masquerade. Preparations having been the order so long beforehand,
+it did not take the maskers long after dinner to get into their
+costumes. They were eager to go outdoors and parade the campus, the
+night being pleasantly snappy with an overhead studding of countless
+stars.
+
+Fearless in the matter of going out alone after dark where an errand
+called her, Marjorie did not mind the rather lonely walk after leaving
+the campus. In order to escape parties of maskers on the campus she wore
+her own mask and therefore escaped special notice. Without it she would
+have been challenged by every party of masks she met. This was a
+favorite custom on this night. Frequently a member of the faculty was
+caught in crossing the stretch of ground and gleefully interviewed.
+
+Coming to the row of houses, in one of which Miss Towne resided,
+Marjorie kept a sharp lookout for the number. The house where she had
+formerly lived stood about the middle of the block. Finally she came to
+852, which she found by means of a small pocket flashlight which she
+usually carried at night. The arc light was too far up the street to be
+of use to her in this.
+
+Pausing at the bottom step of the dingy wooden veranda, Marjorie
+surveyed the house with a feeling of depression. The two windows on the
+left were without blinds and dark. There was a faint light in the hall
+and in the room on the right. The two windows of this room had shades.
+One was drawn down completely; the other was raised about eight inches
+above the sill.
+
+"What a cheerless place," she murmured half aloud. "It is worse than the
+other house. I suppose the landlady hasn't got settled yet."
+
+Mechanically she reached out and took hold of the old-style door bell.
+It did not respond at first. Using more force, it emitted a faint eerie
+tinkle. "It sounds positively weird," was Marjorie's thought. She smiled
+to herself as she rang it again. "I hope I shall never have to live in a
+boarding house like this. I am lucky to have love and a beautiful home
+and really every good thing."
+
+The faint sound of footsteps from within falling upon her expectant ear,
+Marjorie straightened up and waited. A hand turned the knob. The door
+opened about ten inches.
+
+"Good evening. Come in." Addressed in a muffled voice, Marjorie caught
+sight of a tall, black-robed figure. Before she could reply to the
+muttered salutation, she felt herself seized by the arms and drawn into
+the house with a jerk. Simultaneous with the harsh grasp of a pair of
+strong hands the light in the hall was turned out.
+
+"Oh!" She gave one sharp little scream and exerting her young strength
+flung off the prisoning hands. "Keep your hands off me," she ordered
+bravely.
+
+Just then the door leading from the hall into the right hand room
+opened. The light from several tall candles shone dimly into the hall.
+She saw that she was surrounded by half a dozen dominoed masks.
+
+"Bring in the prisoner," grated a harsh voice from within the room.
+Despite Marjorie's command of hands off, she was given a sudden shove
+forward which sent her roughly through the doorway and into the larger
+apartment.
+
+Sureness of foot saved her from stumbling. Strange to say, she had now
+lost all fear of the company of masked figures in whose midst she stood.
+It had begun to enforce itself upon her that she had been hoaxed into
+visiting an empty house by those who had taken advantage of the
+masquerade to carry out their plan without undue notice to themselves.
+She was now certain that she was being hazed by students. She knew of
+only one group of Hamilton girls who would be bold enough to
+deliberately defy the strictest rule of Hamilton College.
+
+The masked company were attired in black dominos; all save one who
+appeared to be a kind of sinister master of ceremonies. This one wore a
+domino of bright scarlet silk and a leering false face mask that was
+hideous in the extreme. The flickering flame of the candles added to the
+grim and horrifying effect. A girl of timid inclinations would have
+been sadly frightened. Marjorie was made of sterner stuff. She had
+experienced, briefly, actual terror when she felt herself seized and
+drawn into the house. She had now recovered from that and was
+righteously angry. She determined to assume contemptuous indifference,
+for the time being, preferring to allow her captors to play their hand
+first.
+
+"Prisoner, you are now before the stern tribunal of the Scarlet Mask,"
+announced the red dominoed figure in the same harsh guttural tones. "You
+have been guilty of many crimes and are to be punished for these
+tonight. If you obey my mandate you will escape with your wretched life.
+Disobey and nothing can save you. You are now to be put to the question
+by one who knows your treacherous heart. You will remove your outer
+wrappings and stand forth. Question." The red mask made an imperious
+gesture. A domino on the left stepped forward as though to lay hands on
+Marjorie.
+
+"I shall not remove my coat, cap or overshoes." Marjorie's ringing
+accents cut sharply on the cold air of the unfurnished, unheated room.
+"If one of you undertakes to lay a hand on me you will be sorry; not
+only now but hereafter. I defy you to do it."
+
+Standing almost in the center of the circle of dominos, Marjorie cast
+contemptuous eyes about the circle of maskers. She fully intended to
+defend herself if further molested. She was one against many, but she
+could at least fight her way to the window, tear aside the shade and
+pound lustily upon it, raising her voice for help. She was certain she
+was in the hands of the Sans. She knew they would not court exposure.
+They had reckoned on completely intimidating her.
+
+A peculiar silence followed Marjorie's spirited defiance. It was as
+though the high tribunal were in doubt as to what they had best do next.
+With one accord their slits of eyes were turned on their leader. The
+domino who had been ordered to lay hold of the prisoner shied off
+perceptibly.
+
+"Bring forth the charges against the prisoner." The distinguished
+scarlet mask suddenly changed tune. While the hideous face within the
+close-fitting hood glared fiendishly at Marjorie, the real face behind
+it wore an expression of baffled anger. The unruly prisoner seemed in
+possession of an inner force that forbade molestation. Then, too, she
+was unafraid and all ready to make a lively commotion.
+
+A domino on the outer edge of the group came forward with a roll of
+foolscap, tied with a black cord. The cord impressively untied, amid
+dead silence, and the paper unrolled, the reading of Marjorie's crimes
+was begun.
+
+"Prisoner, you are accused of untruthfulness, treachery and malicious
+interference in the affairs of others. It is not our purpose to detail
+to you the occasion of these crimes. These occasions are known to the
+high tribunal and have been proven against you."
+
+"It is my purpose to demand proof," interrupted Marjorie with open
+sarcasm. "I am not untruthful, malicious or treacherous. I do not
+propose to allow anyone to accuse me of such things. I----"
+
+"Be silent!" The Scarlet Mask had evidently lost temper. The command was
+roared out in a voice that sounded perilously like that of Leslie
+Cairns.
+
+Marjorie gave a little amused laugh. She stared straight at the red mask
+with tantalizing eyes. "Were you speaking to me?" she inquired with a
+cool discomfiting sweetness that made the eyes looking into hers snap.
+
+"Prisoner, you are insolent." The red mask was careful this time to
+speak in the earlier hoarse disguised voice.
+
+"I mean to be. It is time to end this farce, I think. So far as
+treachery, malice and truth are concerned you, not I," Marjorie swept
+the tense, listening group with an inclusive gesture, "are guilty. Some
+one of you deliberately wrote me a lying note in order to get me here.
+Now I am here, but your whole scheme has fallen flat because I am not
+afraid. You thought I would be. I will say again what I said to a number
+of you on the campus last March: How silly you are!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+LOOKOUTS REAL AND TRUE.
+
+
+While Marjorie had gone on to the reception a la masque which had been
+prepared for her, Jerry had donned her infant costume in a far from
+happy humor. She could not get over her feeling of resentment against
+Anna Towne, though she knew it was hardly just. Twice during the
+progress of her dressing she picked up the note from the chiffonier and
+re-read it with knitted brows. There was something in the assured style
+of it that went against the grain.
+
+"Where's Marjorie?" was Ronny's first speech as shortly after seven she
+flitted into the room looking like a veritable butterfly in her gorgeous
+black and yellow costume. "I am anxious to see her as a doll. I know she
+will be simply exquisite."
+
+"She certainly looked sweet," returned Jerry. She paused, eyeing Ronny
+in mild surprise. Ronny had broken into a hearty laugh. Jerry as an
+infant was so irresistibly funny. Her chubby figure in the high-waisted
+tucked and belaced gown and her round face looking out from the fluted
+lace frills of a close-fitting bonnet made her appear precisely like a
+large-sized baby.
+
+"Oh, I see. You're laughing at me. Aren't you rude, though? Ma-ma-a-a!"
+Jerry set up a grieved wail.
+
+"You are a great success, Jeremiah." Ronny continued to laugh as Jerry
+performed an infantile solo with a white celluloid rattle. "Where is
+Marjorie? I asked you once but you didn't answer."
+
+"Read that. Marjorie said I was to show it to the Lookouts." Jerry
+picked up the letter from the chiffonier and handed it to Ronny.
+
+"How unfortunate!" was Ronny's exclamation as she hastily read the note.
+"When did she leave here? I am glad she put on her costume before she
+went. She can go straight to the gym, provided she isn't detained over
+there."
+
+"She left here at five minutes past seven," Jerry answered. "I felt
+cross about it, too. It seems as though Marjorie is always picked-out to
+do something for someone just about the time she has planned to have a
+good time herself."
+
+"What do you suppose has happened to Miss Towne? She was your freshie
+catch. It's a wonder she didn't ask you to go to her instead of
+Marjorie."
+
+"Well, she didn't. I have tried to behave like a father to her but she
+doesn't seem to notice it," Jerry returned humorously. "You see they all
+gravitate straight to Marjorie. There's something about her that
+inspires confidence in the breasts of timid freshies."
+
+"She is the dearest girl on earth." Ronny spoke with sudden tenderness.
+"Are you going out on the campus to parade? I am not particularly
+anxious to go."
+
+"Then we won't go, for I don't care about it, either." A double rapping
+on the door sent Jerry scurrying to it. Katherine and Lucy walked in,
+arms twined about each other's waists. They were a pretty pair of school
+girls in their short bright gingham dresses, ruffled white aprons and
+white stockings and tennis shoes. Hair in two braids, broad-brimmed
+flower-wreathed hats and school knapsacks swinging from the shoulder
+completed their simple but effective costumes.
+
+They came in for a lively share of approbation from Jerry and Ronny, of
+whom they were equally admiring in turn. Inquiring for Marjorie, they
+were shown the note and Jerry again went over the information she had
+given Ronny.
+
+"That note doesn't sound a bit like Anna Towne," Lucy said in her
+close-lipped manner as she laid it down. "I know her quite well, for she
+takes biology and has come to me several times for help. She is awfully
+proud and tries never to put one to any trouble."
+
+"This may be something that has come upon her so suddenly she hasn't
+known what to do except to send for Marjorie," hazarded Katherine. "I
+agree with you, Lucy. It does not sound like her."
+
+Another series of knocks at the door broke in upon the conversation.
+"Wonder if that's Muriel." Jerry turned to the door. "She may have
+changed her mind about not letting us know what she was going to mask
+as."
+
+The door opened. Jerry gave an ejaculation of undiluted surprise. The
+girl who stood on the threshold was Anna Towne.
+
+"Come in, Miss Towne." Jerry stepped aside for her unexpected caller to
+enter. "Have you seen Marjorie?"
+
+"Why, no. I haven't seen anyone except the maid who answered the door. I
+came over to see if I could go to the masquerade with you girls. Phyllis
+and a crowd of Silvertons went out to parade. I didn't care about it, so
+I thought I would come over here."
+
+"Wha-a-t!" Jerry was almost shouting. Ronny, Katherine and Lucy were the
+picture of blank amazement.
+
+"What's the matter?" Anna Towne flushed deeply. She did not understand
+the meaning of Jerry's loud exclamation. Perhaps she had presumed in
+thus breaking in upon the chums.
+
+"Matter! I don't know what's the matter, but I am going to find out.
+Read this note. You didn't write that, now did you?" Jerry thrust the
+note into Anna's hands.
+
+The room grew very still as she fastened her attention upon the
+communication, supposedly from herself.
+
+"Of course I never wrote it." Anna looked up wonderingly. Almost
+instantly her expression changed to one of alarm. "There is no one
+living at 852 on our street," she asserted. "My landlady has not moved.
+I still live at 856. I haven't had any trouble. I came here dressed for
+the masquerade. I'm wearing a Kate Greenaway costume. See. She took the
+silk scarf from her head disclosing a Kate Greenaway cap.
+
+"No one living there!" came in a breath of horror from Ronny. It was
+echoed by the other three Lookouts. "Then _who_ wrote that note and
+_what_ has happened to Marjorie?"
+
+"I am going to find out pretty suddenly." Jerry sprang to her dress
+closet for her fur coat and overshoes. "Go and get ready to go over to
+that house, girls. One, two, three, four--We are five strong. Get your
+wraps and meet me downstairs. I am going to see if I can't find Leila
+and Vera. You had better wait for me here, Miss Towne. I'll be back
+directly."
+
+Ten minutes later a bevy of white-faced girls met in the lower hall.
+Leila and Vera were among them. Jerry had met them just in the act of
+leaving for the gymnasium.
+
+"I'd go for my car but if would take longer to get it than for us to
+walk. We must make all haste. Now I have an idea of my own about this. I
+am not far off the truth when I say the Sans are to blame for the whole
+thing. I would rather think it was they than that the note had been
+written by some unknown person." Leila's blue eyes were dark with
+emotion. "And that beloved child trotted blindly off by herself never
+dreaming that the note was a forgery. Well, I might have done the same."
+
+"I think you are right, Leila. The Sans have planned some kind of seance
+at that empty house to scare Marjorie. Probably they have dressed up in
+some hideous fashion. They could easily get away with it on account of
+the masquerade. The sooner we get there the better. We may be able to
+catch them, unless they have got hold of her and hustled her off
+somewhere else." Ronny's voice was not quite steady on the last words.
+
+The seven worried rescuers were now crossing the campus and making for
+the campus entrance nearest the direction of Miss Towne's boarding
+house. They were swinging along at a pace that would have done credit to
+an army detachment on a hike.
+
+"She wouldn't stand for that. She would fight every inch of the ground
+before she would go a step with that gang." Jerry spoke with a
+confidence born of her knowledge of Marjorie.
+
+"They might be too many for her," reminded Leila. "What's to prevent
+them from throwing a shawl or something over her head so that she would
+be more or less helpless? I would not put it past Leslie Cairns."
+
+"They wouldn't dare be rough with her or hurt her, would they?"
+questioned Anna Towne.
+
+"No; but this empty house proposition is about as bad as I would care to
+tackle. They certainly have nerve." Jerry's plump features had lost
+their infantile expression. Here face was set in lines of belligerence.
+She was ready to pitch into the Sans the minute she caught sight of
+them.
+
+"This is the street. We are not far from the house now," informed Anna,
+as the seven turned into the humble neighborhood in which her boarding
+house was located.
+
+"Look!" Jerry, who was leading with Ronny, stopped and pointed. "There
+is a _light_ in that house. Let's stop a minute and decide what to do."
+
+"We had better go around to the rear of the house and see if we can't
+get in by the back door," suggested Vera. "After all, we are only seven
+in number, and we don't know what awaits us. We are fairly sure that she
+is in the clutches of the Sans. Even so, they are sure to have the front
+door locked. They are stupid enough to forget all about the back door.
+They are not expecting any interference."
+
+"You girls go around to the back. I am going up on the veranda. I shall
+try the front door. If it is unlocked I will let you know. I'd rather
+walk in on them that way, if we can. Now for some scouting. Don't make a
+sound if you can help it, girls. We want to take them by surprise."
+
+Separating from her companions, who stole noiselessly to the shadowy
+rear of the house, Jerry cautiously invaded the front porch. The shade
+which had been raised a little when Marjorie had come to the house was
+now drawn. Still she could see that the room on the right was lighted.
+With the stealth of a burglar she tried the door. It was locked. She
+listened at it, then stood up with a triumphant smile. From within she
+could hear the sound of voices.
+
+As softly as she had stolen up on the porch, she now withdrew. Her feet
+on the ground, she ran like a deer for the rear of the house. There she
+beheld dimly a group of figures drawn into a compact bunch near the back
+steps.
+
+"Front door's locked. How about the back one?" she breathed.
+
+"It's unlocked. Ronny just tried it," Leila whispered. "She says she can
+open it and go inside without making a sound."
+
+"Of course. She's a great dancer, you know, and light as a feather in
+stepping. Oh, fudge! You don't know. At least you didn't until I told
+you. I have given away Ronny's secret. She made us promise not to tell
+it right after the beauty contest. I don't care. I am glad you know it.
+I have always wished you and Helen and Vera could see her dance. She is
+a marvel."
+
+At this juncture Ronny joined them. In the darkness she did not see
+Leila's Cheshire cat grin, born of Jerry's unintentional betrayal. Leila
+had often remarked to Marjorie, who had told her of Ronny's concealment
+of her real identity at Sanford High School, that Veronica was a good
+deal of a mystery still.
+
+"That you, Jeremiah?" was Ronny's whispered inquiry. "I am going to slip
+in the back way and find out what is going on. Was the front door
+locked?"
+
+"Yes; but I could hear voices from where I stood on the veranda. I
+couldn't sort 'em out so as to know who was who."
+
+"I'll soon find out whose they are." Ronny shut her lips in sharp
+determination. "Now for the great venture." Immediately she glided away,
+and mounted the steps with the noiseless tread of an apparition. The
+tense watchers heard no sound as she opened the door and stepped
+inside.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+THE BITER BITTEN.
+
+
+For five minutes they waited in silence. It seemed to them much longer
+than that when, quietly as she had gone, Ronny re-appeared on the top
+step of the dingy little porch.
+
+"She's in there," were her first words on reaching the waiting group.
+"We are just in time to make it interesting for the Sans. Now listen to
+my plan. What we are to do is this. I have this long black cloak and my
+mask. It's black too. I am going to scare those girls within an inch of
+their wretched lives. They are masked and in dominoes. You can imagine
+what Marjorie went through for a minute. I know a dance called the dance
+of the vampire bat. It is terribly, _horribly_ gruesome. I am going to
+prance in on them with that. I have danced it in this very cloak. See
+how full it is." Ronny held up a fold for inspection. "I can make it
+look like wings. Then with the dance goes a very scary noise, half sigh,
+half whistle. By that dim candlelight in there it will be awful.
+Marjorie won't be scared. She has seen me dance it.
+
+"The rest of you follow me," Ronny continued rapidly. "Leila you come
+first, right behind me. Stop at the door where you can't be seen from
+inside of the front room and line up behind Leila, girls. Count fifty,
+Leila, after I am fairly in the room, then start that awful banshee wail
+you know how to give. At the first sound of it I am going to blow out
+the candle. Then the Sans are going to take to the woods. The minute I
+blow the last candle I shall grab Marjorie by the hand and flee for the
+back door. As soon as Leila has wailed twice every one of you make the
+most horrible sound you know as loudly as you can and hustle for the
+back door howling as you go. They will all try to get out the front door
+and in the darkness they will have a fine time of it. If they get a few
+bumps and scratches in the dark it will serve them precisely right. What
+you must be sure of is to get out of their way the instant the last
+candle is put out by yours truly. The whole thing must be carried out
+like a flash. I depend on your support."
+
+"You are a wonder," chuckled Leila. "My stars, what a party we shall
+have, with vampire bats, banshees and the like. We shall howl our best
+for Beauty. Vera makes a fine banshee, too. Now lead us on and confusion
+to the enemy."
+
+Headed by Ronny the rescuing procession stole up the steps. They landed
+in the kitchen of the house and made their way through it and into the
+room adjoining which communicated with the short hall on both sides of
+which the two front rooms were situated.
+
+Due to Leslie Cairns' shrewd business methods the "high tribunal" stood
+in no fear of interruption. Leslie, finding the house vacant, had rented
+it of the agent for six months. She had stated that a few of the
+students intended to fit it up as a private gymnasium. As the agent's
+mind dwelt only on the glorious fact that he had been handed six months'
+rental in advance, after charging a rate per month which was three times
+more than the house was worth. Beyond that he was not interested in the
+tenants.
+
+The august tribunal had taken pains to lock the front door after them.
+Due to a squabble among themselves on their arrival at the house, the
+back door had remained unlocked. Dulcie Vale had been roughly ordered by
+Leslie to see to it. Dulcie was sulking, however, at Leslie's
+high-handed manner. She resolved to take her time about it. Then her
+interest centered on something else, momentarily, and she forgot it.
+
+About the time that the worried rescuers were starting from Wayland
+Hall, Marjorie was throwing fearless defiance in the faces of her
+captors. Her contemptuous arraignment, ending with an allusion to the
+affair on the campus of the previous March, was highly displeasing to
+her masked listeners. Angry murmurs arose from behind masks and several
+sibilant hisses cut the storm-laden air.
+
+"Ssss! Death! Show no mercy!" were some of the pleasant returns that met
+Marjorie's ear.
+
+The Scarlet Mask, thus-called, made a sudden move toward Marjorie as
+though to lay violent hold upon her. The other masked figures also took
+a step nearer. Marjorie braced herself to meet an attack, if it came to
+that. There was a steady light in her brown eyes which the Scarlet Mask
+did not miss seeing. She contented herself with stopping short directly
+in front of Marjorie and staring fixedly at her. The effect of two
+malignant eyes peering through the eye-holes of the hideous false face
+would have been terrifying to a timid girl. Marjorie was not to be
+intimidated.
+
+"Prisoner, your remarks are unseemly and ill befit your serious
+situation." It was evident the wily intention of the Scarlet Mask to
+ignore the guilty truth which Marjorie had flung at the masked
+assemblage. "You are one against many. It is not the purpose of the high
+tribunal to allow you to escape. You are at our mercy until such time as
+we shall choose to release you. You are pleased to pretend that our
+identity is known to you. You little know those before whom you now
+stand. You are in the presence of a group of stern avengers, sworn to
+see justice done to those whom you have maligned. Were we to remove our
+masks you would find yourself in the company of strangers. We know you.
+You do not know us. I warn----"
+
+"Save your warnings, Miss Cairns. I am not in the least interested in
+them," interrupted Marjorie with dry contempt. "You might be able to
+make a child of nine years believe you. I doubt even that. I have heard
+of this foolishness. Malicious as it is intended to be, it is too
+trivial to be deceiving. You will kindly unlock the front door and let
+me go."
+
+A subdued chorus of derisive laughter, mingled with hisses arose from
+the "stern avengers." One of the tallest stepped out from the circle,
+which they had gradually been forming about Marjorie, and bowed low
+before the Scarlet Mask.
+
+"I recommend, your highness, that the prisoner be taught at once proper
+respect for the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask." The request was made
+in a voice that aspired to bass depths. It fell short enough of them for
+Marjorie to identify it as feminine, although she did not know to whom
+it belonged. She had had so slight an acquaintance with the Sans from
+the beginning.
+
+"The prisoner will be taught proper respect immediately," vindictively
+assured the Scarlet Mask. Up went a scarlet-draped arm in an imperious
+gesture to a domino directly behind Marjorie.
+
+Like a flash, Marjorie whirled about to guard herself. It was precisely
+what the Scarlet Mask wished her to do. In the instant she turned the
+figure nearest the leader whisked something white from the voluminous
+folds of her domino. Marjorie felt herself being enveloped from head to
+waist in what seemed to be the heavy open meshes of a veil. It was, in
+reality, a large piece of fish net. She struggled furiously to free
+herself from it. While she struggled with two of the figures who were
+attempting to hold her, a third was busy securing the net in a hard knot
+at her back. As Marjorie was wearing a fur coat and cap, her attire was
+sufficiently bulky to prevent the net from being drawn very close. She
+had taken off her mask the moment she had left the campus behind her, so
+she could at least breathe without difficulty.
+
+Not content with the indignity they had trickily put upon her, two of
+the dominoes caught her by the shoulders and began forcing her toward a
+corner of the room. The others followed, closing in upon the trio, so
+that the silent, but still wrathfully-struggling prisoner would have no
+chance to make a sudden dash for the door when released.
+
+The Scarlet Mask, now at the edge of the crowd which hemmed Marjorie in,
+elbowed a rough way to where she stood.
+
+"How do you like our methods now, prisoner?" was the satirical question.
+"You are going to leave us _at once_, are you? Why don't you go? 'You
+will kindly unlock the front door,' etc. Oh, my! Naturally we would be
+keen on doing so after the pains we took to secure your distinguished
+attendance here tonight. How very sweet you look behind a veil. Too bad
+you don't wear one all the time. You would----"
+
+"May it please your highness," interrupted a domino in hollow tones,
+"the time is going. I would advise that we leave here at once with the
+prisoner. A ride in the still night air may cool her fevered brain so
+that when we return with her she will be in a more reasonable mood."
+
+"I am also of that opinion," agreed a second. Several other voices rose
+in approval of the plan.
+
+The Scarlet Mask turned on them in a hurry. Not only angry at being
+interrupted in her harassing of the prisoner, she did not propose to
+take any dictation from her companions.
+
+"Who is running this affair?" she asked in the familiar tones of Leslie
+Cairns, minus her drawl. "This little, puffed-up hypocrite is not going
+to leave here until she promises to mind her own business hereafter.
+She is also going to promise not to tell where she has been tonight. She
+may think she won't, but she will, or spend the rest of the night alone
+here."
+
+A murmur of dissenting voices at once ascended. Half a dozen dominoes
+tried to force an opinion upon the Scarlet Mask at once. Eager to be
+heard, there was small attempt made at disguising voices.
+
+"You idiots!" Leslie rebuked in a rage, when finally able to make
+herself heard. "Have you no sense? Listen to me." Whereupon she centered
+her displeased attention on her helpers and berated them roundly for
+daring to set up an opinion contrary to her own.
+
+The dissenting dominoes were not to be silenced thus easily and a
+spirited altercation began. There were several of the masked company who
+were hotly against a punishment such as their leader proposed to visit
+upon Marjorie. Meanwhile, the cause of the altercation listened to what
+went on with emotions which were a mingling of wrath and amusement. If
+she had needed evidence to convince her that her captors were the Sans,
+she had it now. She knew from Leila that the Sans were noted for
+quarreling among themselves.
+
+After the violent manner in which she had been jerked into the
+untenanted house, she had not doubted that she might meet with further
+rough treatment. She knew that Leslie Cairns was quite apt to go as far
+as she dared. She resolved to show, no fear of her captors. She disliked
+intensely the idea of hand to hand encounter with them. It was utterly
+beneath her standards. Still she did not hesitate to warn them that she
+would defend herself if forced to do so. Once she was free of them she
+had not decided what she would do, further than that she would set off
+for the gymnasium post haste. Even before the unmasking her chums would
+miss her. If only she could reach the dance prior to that!
+
+"S--hh! Keep your voices down!" warned a domino who had taken no part in
+the ill-natured discussion. "I believe you can be heard clear out in the
+street."
+
+"Mind your business," snapped the Scarlet Mask. "I pay the rent here.
+It's nobody's business how much noise we make. Who amounts to a button
+on this alley? Don't be so cowardly. Even Bean has more nerve than you."
+
+This produced a laugh at "Bean's" expense. Behind her enforced veil
+Marjorie could not repress a noiseless chuckle. How she wished that
+someone would hear her captors and come to her assistance. No such thing
+was likely to happen.
+
+The admonishing domino, hitherto peaceful, now took umbrage. "You can't
+tell me to mind my own business or call me a coward," she stormily
+hurled at the scarlet executive. "You make me exceedingly weary!" Her
+further candid opinion was not calculated to flatter.
+
+"What you need is a midnight session here with Miss Bean," declared the
+Scarlet Mask, with a touch of cool purpose which caused the angry domino
+to flare up afresh.
+
+"Try it, and see what happens to you," was her instant retort.
+
+"Oh, forget it. I merely said you needed it. I didn't say you would be
+left here. You are the last person I expected would go back on me." This
+with intent to mollify.
+
+"Well, you shouldn't have----" The somewhat placated rebel suddenly
+paused. "Hark!" She held up a hand for silence. "I thought I heard a
+noise."
+
+"Someone going by in the street," the Scarlet Mask asserted, after
+listening attentively for a moment. At the ejaculation "Hark!" the eyes
+of the other maskers had been directed with one accord to the door.
+After a brief interval of uneasy silence the discussion regarding the
+prisoner was resumed.
+
+The recently ruffled avenger who had given the alarm still continued to
+watch the door. She was not satisfied with her leader's explanation of
+the sound. Thus she was the first to note a shadow fall athwart the
+doorway. Her eyes widened with fear to behold an odd, black, winged
+shape hover an instant on the threshold, then flit noiselessly into the
+room. It did not advance on the group collected in one corner of the
+room. It lurched and dipped toward the windows like a huge sable hawk
+about to swoop down on a chicken yard.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+APPARITION OF THE NIGHT.
+
+
+"A-h-h-h!" gasped the startled watcher, pointing in horror.
+
+"Wh-h-s-s-ss!" The gruesome apparition uttered a sighing, hissing sound
+which increased in a weird, half-muffled whistle. Simultaneous with the
+whistle it darted to the nearest candle, extinguishing it with one
+whining "Puf-f-f!" With horrid grotesquerie it flapped toward another
+candle, bent on putting it out.
+
+The hood of the voluminous soft black cape which Ronny was wearing was
+slightly frilled. She had cunningly adjusted it so as to give her masked
+features an entirely different effect from that of an ordinary domino
+and mask. A moment's calm inspection would have assured the hazing party
+that the uncanny visitant was as human as themselves. Her spectacular
+entrance coupled with the one domino's fear-stricken alarm, had produced
+upon the hazers the precise effect Ronny had expected to produce. Too
+greatly startled to take action, a wild, long-drawn, piercing wailing
+next set in which was not quieting to the nerves. Nor had it ceased when
+a second eerie voice took it up in a higher key.
+
+By the dim flare of the one remaining lighted candle, the flapping,
+swaying shape and its hideous moaning whistle became invested with fresh
+dread, augmented as it was by that volume of ear-piercing echoing sound.
+Suddenly the last candle winked out, leaving the dismayed avengers in
+Stygian darkness. Their sharp cries and frightened exclamations were
+summarily drowned, however, by a new pandemonium of blood-curdling
+shrieks and groans which proceeded from the hall. Through the half open
+door leading into the hall came a menacing shuffle as of countless
+approaching feet. It was the final touch needed to demoralize the
+hazers. Forgetful of the two front windows, they bolted with one accord
+for the door opening into the hall, as nearly as each could locate it in
+the dark. Had a real enemy been present the hazers would have run
+straight into the arms of the hostile force. Their one idea was to get
+out of the house with all speed. As it was they showed a temerity born
+of panic.
+
+In the midst of the hub-bub, Marjorie had experienced nothing more than
+a faint stirring of alarm at sight of the bat-like apparition. She knew
+Ronny instantly, and, guessing her purpose, prudently drew far back
+into the corner.
+
+"Come with me." Marjorie now felt the joy of a familiar arm across her
+shoulders. "The window. I just opened it. Quick," breathed Ronny. "I'll
+steer you to it. We must get away before they open the front door. It's
+locked and they will have their own troubles unlocking it in the dark."
+
+In a flash the two had crossed the room to the open window. The moment
+she had extinguished the last candle Ronny had flitted to the window and
+raised it under cover of the stampede. Through the fish net which
+enveloped her Marjorie could see a little, in spite of the shadow cast
+by the veranda.
+
+"Can you use your arms enough through that net to help swing yourself
+over the sill? It is very low."
+
+"I can manage," Marjorie softly reassured.
+
+Standing behind her, Ronny gave her chum such assistance as she could
+while Marjorie essayed a swift exit from the room which had lately
+prisoned her. The instant she found footing on the veranda, Ronny
+followed her. Catching Marjorie by the arm she said: "Run for the back
+of the house. I forgot to tell the girls where to meet us. I think they
+will wait for us there."
+
+A few running steps brought them to the rear of the house. A little
+group of dark figures hurried forward to meet them. The six girls had
+got away from the house without trouble.
+
+"All's well," Ronny was smiling in the darkness out of sheer
+satisfaction. "Let's go at once. We had better cross the next three back
+yards and come out to the street from between them. Hurry. We haven't a
+second to lose. We ought not talk until we are on the campus again."
+
+Silently, and with all speed, the elated fugitives put Ronny's advice
+into practice. Once in the street they proceeded north, putting distance
+between them and the Sans' rendezvous. It was a trifle farther to the
+campus by the way they took, but none of them minded that. All were too
+full of elation over the success of their adventure to think of much
+else.
+
+"The campus at last!" exclaimed Leila as the rescue party reached the
+gateway. "Let us stop just inside the gate and untie Beauty. She looks
+like a veiled Oriental in that rigging." Suiting the action to the word
+she began on the hard knot at Marjorie's back. "While I work, keep a
+sharp lookout for the other crowd," she directed. "This knot is no
+simple affair. What time is it, Luciferous?"
+
+"Fifteen minutes past nine." Lucy held her wrist so that the rays of the
+arc light over the gate fell directly upon her watch.
+
+"Untied; thank my stars! Some knot!" Leila flipped the undesired net
+from Marjorie. Rolling it up she tucked it under her arm. "Unmasking is
+at nine-thirty. Let us be there. We can just make it, and it will puzzle
+some persons to tell who interrupted them tonight. Our talk will wait
+until after unmasking. Then we can dodge into one of the side rooms and
+have it out."
+
+"A fine plan," endorsed Ronny. "We are in luck to get here in time
+enough for the unmasking."
+
+The others heartily agreeing, the octette again set off in a hurry for
+the gymnasium. Five minutes afterward they were entering its welcome
+portal. They were obliged to make a frantic dash for the coat room. Once
+there, wraps and overshoes were removed with gleeful haste. The belated
+masqueraders entered the gymnasium just as the last, lingering strains
+of a waltz were being played. It had hardly died away when the
+stentorian order "Unmask!" was shouted out by a junior through a
+megaphone.
+
+"Here's where Muriel wins that dinner at Baretti's," declared Jerry
+ruefully. "I certainly did not walk up to her and say, 'Hello, Muriel.'
+Wonder where she is? I haven't the least idea what her costume is."
+
+"For the sake of old Ireland!" called Leila, pointing. "Now will you
+kindly take notice?"
+
+A little shout of laughter burst from the participants in the recent
+adventure as they obeyed Leila's exclamatory request. Coming toward them
+at a carefully simulated stride was a handsome young man in evening
+dress. From his silk opera hat to his patent leather ties he was a most
+elegant person. He was not a particularly gallant youth, however, for
+his first words on approaching the mirthful group were:
+
+"Don't, for goodness' sake, ask me to take off my hat. How about that
+dinner you promised me, Jeremiah?"
+
+"Yes, I _guess_ so. Oh, but you are polite! Greet us with your hat on
+and beg for a dinner invitation. My, my! What are the young men of the
+present day coming to?" Jerry held up her hands in mock disapproval.
+"Anyway, you win. Your costume is a dandy. I never would have known
+you."
+
+"What may your name be, young man?" inquired Leila, her eyes dancing.
+
+"You may call me Mr. Harding. I shall not tell you my first name until I
+know you better," replied Muriel with an attempt at pompous dignity
+which ended in a hearty laugh. Setting her high hat on the back of her
+head she thrust her hands in her pockets and beamed on her friends.
+
+"You look for all the world like a debonair young man," Marjorie said
+admiringly.
+
+"Thank you. Sorry about my hat. To take it off spoils the masculine
+effect. My hair is rolled under to look short. My hat keeps it in place.
+But never mind about me. Where have you girls been? I knew what your
+costumes were to be, so I watched for you from the minute I got here.
+Confess; you wore dominos over them so that I wouldn't know you. A
+number of girls did that on purpose to throw their friends off the
+track."
+
+"Wrong guess, Muriel. We weren't here at all until about two minutes
+before the unmasking." Jerry tried to speak carelessly, but could not
+keep an excited note out of her voice.
+
+"You _weren't_? Honestly?" Muriel showed bewildered surprise. "You
+weren't in dominos? Then where were you? Something's happened. I can
+read that in your faces." She glanced almost challengingly about the
+half circle.
+
+"Something happened, all right enough," replied Jerry with grim
+emphasis. "Marjorie has been through a real adventure tonight. She's
+been hazed by the Sans and rescued by the Lookouts and a few more good
+scouts."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+AFTER THE FRAY.
+
+
+Closeted in one of the small rooms off the gymnasium, rescuers and
+rescued told their separate tales of what had happened that evening.
+Muriel was the only other girl at the private session they held. She
+heartily mourned the fact that she had not been with her chums. Even the
+glories of parading about in masculine attire faded beside the evening's
+adventure.
+
+"What are you going to do about it, Beauty?" Leila asked almost sharply,
+when the affair had been thoroughly gone over from both standpoints.
+Dressed as Finestra, a Celtic witch woman, Leila made a striking figure
+in her white and green robes as she sat on the low wall bench, hands
+loosely clasped over one knee, her vivid features alive with
+disapproval.
+
+"I don't know. Nothing, I guess." Marjorie smiled into Leila's moody
+face. "It will scare them worse just to leave them in doubt as to
+whether or not they will be called to account. I can't prove that those
+dominos were the Sans, for I didn't see their faces. Of course, if I
+accused them of hazing me, in making a report to President Matthews,
+they would probably be summoned and put through an inquiry. In that case
+some of them would be certain to weaken and confess."
+
+"True," Leila nodded. "Dr. Matthews would be hard on them. He is so
+bitterly opposed to hazing. It would stir up a great commotion. They
+would be expelled. They ought to be," she added with force.
+
+"Certainly they ought," concurred Jerry, "but who cares to be the one to
+report 'em? I was thinking out the whole thing when we made our get-away
+from that house. They don't know and they are never going to, unless we
+tell them, who Ronny was or who did the howling. When they experience a
+return of brains, for they certainly were rattled, they will naturally
+guess that the surprise came from students. What they won't be able to
+figure out is whether they were hazed by another crowd or by Marjorie's
+supporters."
+
+"They couldn't be sure that Marjorie would not leave word with some of
+us as to where she was going," put in Lucy, "even though someone did put
+that line in the letter asking her not to mention it."
+
+"They must have had high ideas of her sense of honor," smiled Vera.
+
+"I felt queer about telling the Lookouts, yet I believed it fair,"
+Marjorie said quietly. "I am glad I did. And now let's forget it and go
+and have a good time. We really ought to enjoy ourselves hugely, for I
+doubt whether a single Sans will appear on the scene tonight. If they do
+it will be late. I hope none of them were hurt in the dark," she added
+charitably.
+
+"Their fault if they were." Leila rose, her brooding face lighting
+suddenly. "You have a most forgiving heart, Beauty. As for myself, a few
+sound bumps will do them no harm. Make no mistake. Those of the Sans who
+are presentable," she smiled broadly, "will get here as soon as they
+can. All of them absent would be a grand exposé. Some must appear to
+take the curse off the wounded."
+
+At that very moment the members of the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask
+were engaged in trying to make themselves presentable enough to attend
+the dance. A crestfallen and weary company of avengers, they had at last
+made harbor at Wayland Hall. Miss Remson had retired early on account of
+a severe cold. The dance having claimed the other residents of the Hall,
+there was no one to mark the line of dominos which stole cat-footed up
+the stairs. There was considerable repairing to be done both to persons
+and costumes before the Sans could appear in college society. In that
+mad scramble to leave the dingy house, which Leslie Cairns had rented
+with so much satisfaction, there had been casualties.
+
+Natalie Weyman's cheek bore a long disfiguring scratch, caused from a
+too near contact with a fancy pin or ornament. A jab from someone's
+elbow had decorated Dulcie Vale with a black eye. Leslie Cairns, who had
+essayed to unlock the front door in the dark, declared resentfully that
+she had received more kicks, thumps and bruises than all the others had
+put together. Due to the fact that the whole party had worn flat-heeled,
+black leather slippers, which had been purchased in the men's department
+of a Hamilton shoe store, the casualties were less serious. Leslie had
+insisted on this measure as a further means of disguising their sex. The
+hazers had worn their masquerade costumes under their dominos, having
+been told by Leslie that they would not be more than an hour at the
+untenanted house. They could easily drop into the Hall and change
+slippers on their return. It had been Leslie's private intention to
+leave Marjorie there all night. Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Dulcie
+Vale knew this. The others did not. Hence the objections which had
+arisen, resulting in the quarrel that had been their undoing.
+
+There was not one of the hazing party who had entirely escaped injury.
+Tender toes had been trampled upon, jarring jolts administered, and
+scratches and bruises distributed _ad libitum_. Leslie was outwardly
+morose. Her inner emotions were too complex to be analyzed. They were a
+mixture of hate, fear, baffled pride and humiliation. The cherished
+scheme, concocted by her in the autumn, and on which she had spent so
+much time and money, had utterly fallen through. Exposure and disgrace
+stared herself and her companions in the face. Had not Marjorie
+contemptuously called her by name? While she could not prove her
+surmise, she could report the Sans on suspicion to Doctor Matthews.
+
+Now that it was all over, Leslie realized bitterly that she and her
+companions had behaved like a flock of demoralized geese. She had been
+as badly startled as the others by the appearance of the bat-like
+figure. She had recently read a very horrible tale entitled "The Bat
+Girl." It had haunted her for several nights after the reading. Ronny's
+clever imitation of a huge bat had momentarily paralyzed her with fear.
+The unearthly shrieks, wails and moans had also served the purpose of
+the invaders. Leslie sullenly wished her own plan had been half as well
+carried out. It was all the fault of her pals. They were always
+disagreeing. They never worked together. They never exhibited good sense
+in an emergency. Leslie decided that they should bear the blame for the
+fiasco. They would hear from her in scathing terms when she felt equal
+to upbraiding them.
+
+She had been the first one to reach the front door. Feeling for the key,
+which was in the lock, she had fumbled it and dropped it on the floor.
+As she had stooped to pick it up, she had been knocked to her knees by
+the onrush of the others. Callously, she had struck right and left for
+room to get to her feet. The key had remained on the floor. Knowing that
+she could not secure it until the wild onslaught on the door had
+stopped, she had tried frantically to make herself heard above the
+hub-bub. It was of no use.
+
+Presently the panic-stricken Sans had begun to understand her
+hoarsely-shouted words: "Stand still. The key's dropped to the floor."
+By that time the wails of the invaders had ceased and their footsteps
+had died out. An odd silence had suddenly descended upon the Sans. Very
+meekly they had obeyed Leslie's rude order, "Get out of my way," as she
+had turned on a small flashlight and located the key. The door opened
+at last, not a word had been spoken as the dominoed procession filed out
+into the starry night. Leslie had stepped out first. Stationing herself
+on the veranda, she had counted them as they passed, to be sure none
+were missing. "Save your talking until you get to the Hall," she had
+curtly commanded. "Down the street and hustle for the campus. Keep
+together."
+
+Bruised and sore, the avengers had again obeyed her without much
+protest. Dulcie Vale had attempted a belligerent remark but had been
+promptly silenced by: "You had better keep still. You are the person who
+claimed she locked the back door. If so, how, then, did that mob of
+freaks get in? I don't believe they had a key."
+
+Leslie had not condescended to speak again until they had reached the
+Hall. At the foot of the drive she had halted her party and given them
+further curt orders as to their manner of procedure. Her final
+instruction had been: "Get ready for the dance, then come to my room.
+Wear evening coats. It is too late for dominos now. The unmasking is
+over long ago. If you're asked any questions simply say we had a dinner
+engagement before the dance; that we thought it fun to dress in costume
+but did not care to mask. Now remember, that _goes_."
+
+It was half-past ten o'clock before the entire eighteen gathered in
+Leslie's room. Both Natalie's and Dulcie's facial disfigurements were
+such as to prevent their attendance of the dance. Leslie laughed
+outright at sight of Dulcie. "You _are_ pretty," she jeered. Dulcie's
+wrath rose, but she swallowed it. She did not care to be taxed further
+about the trust she had betrayed. Margaret Wayne had twisted her right
+ankle almost to the point of sprain. Harriet Stephens had a lump on her
+forehead, caused by a forcible collision with the wall. Eleanor Ray
+limped slightly from having her toes stepped on. These five declined
+stoutly to leave the Hall again that night.
+
+"You can't very well go; that's flat," Leslie agreed. "I ought to stay
+here, too. See that." She turned her back, displaying a large
+discoloration on one shoulder about two inches above the low-cut bodice
+of the old gold satin evening gown she wore. She had not troubled
+herself to dress in costume. "That's what happened to me when you girls
+knocked me down and tried to walk on me. It is up to me to go over to
+the gym. I'll wear a gold lace scarf I have. This will hide this bruise.
+All of you who look like something had better go with me. I don't know
+what Bean will do. No matter what she tells or how far she goes, you
+girls are to deny to the end that you were at that house tonight. No
+one saw our faces. Who, then is going to say, positively, that she saw
+us, either at that house or on the campus? If we all say we were _not_
+the ones who hazed Bean, _and stick to it_, I defy the whole college to
+prove it against us."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE BITTERNESS OF DEFEAT.
+
+
+What "Bean" intended to do in the matter of her recent hazing was a
+question which worried the Sans considerably during the next few days.
+The very fact that they had escaped, thus far, without even having been
+quizzed by any of the students regarding that fateful evening puzzled
+them. True, they suspected Marjorie's four chums and Leila and Vera as
+having been among those who broke up the hazing party. They cherished an
+erroneous belief, however, that there were at least fifteen or twenty of
+the invaders.
+
+It was gall and wormwood to those of the Sans who attended the dance in
+its closing hour to see Marjorie, radiantly pretty, enjoying herself as
+though she had never been through a trying experience only three hours
+before. By common consent the rescue party, as well as Marjorie, paid no
+more attention to the Sans than if they had not been present. The dance
+had been such an unusually pleasant affair! More than one girl remarked
+early in the evening to her closest friends that things went along so
+much better when a certain clique of girls were absent. The Sans' junior
+classmates were not pleased at their late attendance of the masquerade.
+They criticized the Sans as selfish and lacking in proper class spirit.
+Thus the Sans fashioned a new rod that night for their backs of which
+they were destined later to feel the sting.
+
+The day following the masquerade the sophomore team sent the junior team
+an acceptance of their challenge. This mystified the Sans five even
+more. Under the circumstances they had expected and even hoped their
+challenge would be declined. A refusal on the part of the sophomore team
+to play them would give them an opportunity to intimate that their
+opponents were afraid to meet them for fear of being beaten. Deep in
+their hearts the Sans five were the real cowards. They dreaded playing
+against Marjorie and Muriel in particular. As Leslie gloomily said to
+Natalie, "Bean and that Harding snip will certainly get back at you if
+they can. I imagine Robina Page was one of that crowd who gave us the
+run."
+
+Leslie had been terribly out of sorts since the failure of her plot. She
+did not know where she stood at Hamilton as regarded safety. She was
+highly disgruntled by the lack of cordiality shown her and her chums by
+many students whom she had considered friendly to her. It was being
+forced upon her, little by little, that the Sans were losing ground.
+They had sworn to win back their lost power of the previous year. They
+had not done this. Now the game with the sophomores must be played and
+she was not in the mood to coach her team, nor were they in the mood to
+play. She doubted if they would dare make use of "the soft talk." The
+freshman team had expressed themselves quite openly on that subject
+about the campus. When taxed with it once or twice by juniors who had
+learned of it and deferred judgment, Leslie had replied with sarcastic
+bravado that the freshies had evidently "heard things" during the game
+which no one else heard.
+
+The game being scheduled for the twenty-seventh of February, Leslie
+allowed her bruised and shaken team three days' rest. After that time
+she fairly drove them to private practice. She pestered Ramsey, the
+coach, for new and sure methods of winning points from an antagonist
+until he resolved within himself to "beat it" for New York on the day of
+the game and leave no address. He had received a lump sum in advance for
+his coaching, so he had no scruples about deserting the ship.
+
+Her five satellites complained bitterly at having to practice every day.
+All of them had received warnings in one subject or another and needed
+their time for study. Leslie was adamant. "Just this one game," she said
+over and over again. "After that we will settle down to work. I am not
+doing as well as I ought in my subjects. But you must play the sophs and
+beat them if you can. Don't try any of those new stunts Ramsey showed
+you unless you can put them over so cleverly no one will know the
+difference. You will have to be careful. You have a touchy proposition
+to tackle."
+
+Alarmed at the gradual decrease in their own popularity, the Sans five
+practiced assiduously during the week preceding the game. They hoped to
+make a good showing on their own merits. The coach glibly assured them
+that they were doing wonderful work with the ball. Toward the last of
+their practice they began to believe it themselves.
+
+They continued to believe thus until after the first five minutes of the
+game on the following Saturday. With the gymnasium filled by a clamorous
+aggregation of students, the toss-up was made and the game begun. The
+sophomore five took the lead from the first and put the Sans five
+through a pace that made them fairly gasp. All thought of cheating
+abandoned, they fought desperately to score. They were not allowed to
+make a single point. Behind the resolution of the sophs to win they
+demonstrated a peculiarly personal antagonistic force which their
+opponents felt, dimly at first, keenly afterward. It was the fastest
+game that had been played for many a year at Hamilton and it ended in a
+complete whitewash for the juniors. They retired from the floor too
+utterly vanquished to do other than indulge in a dismal cry in concert
+once the door of their dressing room had closed upon them.
+
+Thus Leslie found them. Signally discouraged, she experienced a
+momentary desire to cry with them. She fought it down, gruffly advising
+her chums not to cry their eyes out in case they might need them later.
+
+"Don't be so simple," was her barren consolation. "You don't see me
+bathed in salt weeps, do you? No, sir. Forget basket ball. I swear I'll
+never have anything more to do with it. I'll send that Ramsey packing
+tomorrow. From now on, I'm going to keep up in my classes and after
+classes enjoy myself. If we can't run the college _now_, that's no sign
+we never will. We can be exclusive. There are enough of us to do that. I
+don't believe Bean and her crowd are going to tell any tales on us. For
+the rest of the year we'll just amuse ourselves in our own way."
+
+"It's almost a year since we started to rag Miss Dean and had so much
+trouble over that affair," half-sobbed Dulcie Vale. "You are always
+making plans to get even with someone you don't like, Leslie Cairns, and
+dragging us into them. You never win. You always get the worst of it. I
+don't intend to go into any more such schemes with you. My father said
+if ever I was expelled from college he would make me take a position in
+his office. Think of that!" Dulcie's voice rose to a scream.
+
+"He did? Well, don't tell everybody in the gym about it," Leslie
+advised, then laughed. Her laughter was echoed in quavering fashion by
+the other weepers. Under their false and petty ideas of life there was
+still so much of the eagerness of girlhood to be liked, to succeed and
+to be happy. Only they were obstinately traveling the wrong road in
+search of it.
+
+Out in the gymnasium the winning team were being carried about the great
+room on the shoulders of admiring and noisy fans. Marjorie smiled to
+herself as she reflected that this was a pleasant ending of her
+basket-ball days. She had firmly determined not to play during the next
+year. Standing among her teammates afterward, surrounded by a circle of
+enthusiastic fans, it was borne upon her that she knew a great many
+Hamilton girls. She had not thought her friendly acquaintances among
+them so large.
+
+"You did what Muriel said you folks would do," Jerry exulted, when,
+congratulations over, Muriel and Marjorie were free to join their chums.
+"You laid the junies up for the winter. That team must have been crazy
+to challenge you. They played well, for them. Against your five--good
+night! A whitewash! Think of it!"
+
+"They deserved it." Marjorie's eyes lost their smiling light. The curves
+of her red lips straightened a trifle. "We paid them for ragging the
+freshies. They have had two hard defeats inside of two weeks. They ought
+to retire on them. They are lucky in that we haven't made trouble for
+them. Between you and me, Jeremiah, the Sans are not gaining an inch at
+Hamilton. The juniors are peeved with them for not taking proper
+interest in the Valentine dance. Many of the seniors disapprove of them,
+particularly since the game they won dishonestly from the freshies. Only
+a handful of the sophs cling to them. The freshies--I don't know. They
+are still about half Sans-bound. Just the same, democracy at Hamilton
+isn't on the wane. It's on the gain."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+ON MAY-DAY NIGHT.
+
+
+The whitewashing which the sophomore team gave the Sans five, who had so
+illy represented the juniors at basket ball, was a defeat the Sans found
+hard to endure. Adopting Leslie's advice, they carried their heads high
+and affected great exclusiveness. They also entered upon a career of
+lavish expenditure within their own circle calculated to attract and
+impress those who had formerly shown respect for them and their money.
+It was successful in a measure. They could be snobbish without trying.
+Nevertheless, they knew they had lost irretrievably. The backbone of
+their pernicious influence was broken.
+
+A warm and early spring brought the basket-ball season to a close sooner
+than usual. Despite Marjorie's resolve not to play again, she took part
+in one more game against the freshman. The sophs won by four points, but
+the freshies were such a gallant five, they came in for almost an equal
+amount of applause. They were dear to the hearts of the sports-loving
+element of students.
+
+As spring advanced with her thousand soft airs and graces, it seemed to
+Marjorie that a new era of good feeling had come to Hamilton College.
+
+"College is nearer my ideal of it than it used to be," she said to Jerry
+one bright afternoon in late April, as the two stood on the steps of the
+Hall waiting for Helen, Leila and Vera, who had gone to the garage for
+Leila's car. The five girls were going to Hamilton on a shopping
+expedition. The first of May at hand, the Lookouts and their intimates
+were going to follow the old custom of hanging May baskets. Leila had
+proposed it. The others had hailed the idea with avidity.
+
+"Mine, too," nodded Jerry. "When first we came back here we thought we
+would have to depend on our own little crowd for our good times. Now we
+have more invitations than we can accept. It's the same with lots of the
+other girls, too. There's a really friendly spirit abroad on the campus.
+The day of democracy is at hand."
+
+"I hope so. Anyway, things are pleasanter here than when we enrolled. Of
+course, we know many of the students now. That makes a difference.
+Still, there isn't the same chill in the social atmosphere that there
+used to be. Here comes our good old chauffeur, Leila Greatheart. She
+has been obliging and unselfish enough with us all to deserve a carload
+of May baskets. How many are you going to hang, Jeremiah?"
+
+"About a dozen, more or less," Jerry replied indefinitely. "I'll see how
+expert I shall be at making them."
+
+"I'm going to make Leila a green one and fill it with pistachio bars and
+green and white candies. On top I'll put a green and gold lace pin I
+bought yesterday in Hamilton. I'll make Vera a pale pink one and fill it
+with French bon-bons. I shall give her a very beautiful string of coral
+beads that Captain gave me long ago. Vera and Leila have both been so
+dear about taking us around in their cars, I want to make them special
+presents. The other baskets I shall just fill with candy or flowers."
+
+"We'll have to make a trip to the florist's late on May-day afternoon or
+our posies won't be fresh to put in the baskets. I shall buy some little
+fancy baskets if I can find them. My own handiwork may not turn out very
+well." Jerry had prudently decided to be on the safe side.
+
+Filled with the goodwill attending the pretty spring-time custom, it was
+a merry band of shoppers that invaded the Hamilton stores in search of
+materials for baskets. Crêpe paper, ribbon, fancy silk and bright
+artificial wreaths and boutennieres shown in the millinery windows were
+purchased in profusion. Dainty baskets were not so easy to obtain. The
+girls finally found the sizes and shapes they desired at the florist's
+where they placed their order for May-day blossoms. The confectionery
+they decided to leave until the day before the basket hanging, so that
+it would be perfectly fresh. "Don't insult your friends by handing 'em
+stale candy," was Jerry's advice.
+
+For four evenings following the first shopping trip, a round of gaieties
+went on in one or another of the basket-makers' rooms. Under their
+clever fingers the May-time tributes were fashioned rapidly and well.
+Even Jerry found she could do amazing wonders with crêpe paper ribbon
+and pasteboard, once she had "got the hang of the thing."
+
+The hardest problem which confronted the givers was how to hang their
+offerings and slip away before the recipient opened her door and nabbed
+the stealthy donor. As there was only one door knob to each door, the
+gift baskets must perforce be set in a row before it. Each girl had
+private dark intent of smashing the ten-thirty rule and creeping out
+into the hall after lights were out. This would prevent any attempt on
+the part of jokers to surreptitiously confiscate the fruits of their
+industry.
+
+Marjorie was confronted by a considerably harder problem. She had a
+basket to hang which was destined to grace a door quite outside of the
+Hall. She had purchased a particularly beautiful little willow basket.
+Through its open work she had run pale violet satin ribbon. A huge bow
+and long streamers of wider ribbon decorated the handle. The basket was
+to be filled with long-stemmed single violets which grew in profusion at
+the north end of the campus. To the curious questions of her chums
+regarding the lucky recipient of the basket, she merely replied with a
+laughing shake of her head, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."
+
+When the first pale stars of May-day evening appeared, Marjorie took her
+violet basket and promptly disappeared. Wearing a plain blue serge coat,
+a dark sports hat pulled well down over her curls, she crossed the
+campus at a gentle run and hurried through the west entrance to the
+highway. Her flower tribute she had covered with a wide black silk
+scarf. Along the road toward Hamilton Estates she sped, keeping well out
+of the way of passing automobiles. Onward she went until she reached the
+gates of Hamilton Arms. She drew a soft breath of satisfaction as she
+saw that they stood open. She had noticed they were always a little ajar
+in the day time. She had feared that they might be closed at night.
+
+Seized by a sudden spasm of timidity, she stood still for an instant,
+listening and peering ahead into the shadows. Then with a gurgling
+laugh, indicative of her pleasure in the secret expedition, she passed
+into the grounds and ran noiselessly toward the house at her best speed.
+
+One thing was certain, she told herself, as her feet touched the bottom
+step of the front veranda, if her presence were discovered there would
+be no disgrace attached to the apprehension. Her heart was thumping out
+a lively tattoo however, as she stole up to the heavy double doors and
+felt for the knocker. There was a light in the hall and in the room at
+the left of it. Miss Susanna was surely at home. Her hand closing at
+last upon the object of her search, she stooped and carefully set her
+basket on the stone threshold. Applying her young strength to the
+knocker, she waited only to hear it sound inside, then darted for the
+drive. While she dared not stop to look back, she thought she heard the
+creak of an opening door when she was halfway down the drive. Slightly
+winded from her mad dash, she paused outside the gate, flushed and
+triumphant. Whether the door had opened or not, she had at least
+succeeded in doing what she had set out to do.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+Miss Susanna Hamilton was not the only one to receive an overwhelming
+surprise that night. Opening the door of her room Marjorie found it
+dark. With a sharp exclamation she groped for the wall button and
+flashed on the light. Sheer amazement held her in leash for a moment.
+The first thing upon which her gaze became fixed was a huge white banner
+tacked above her couch bed. It bore in large red lettering the legend,
+"Merry May-day to Marjorie Dean, Marvelous Manager." On the bed,
+covering it completely, was an array of May baskets that made her gasp.
+There they were, the very ones she had admired most when her friends
+were making them.
+
+A trifle dazed at her sudden good fortune, Marjorie stood in rapt
+contemplation of her friends' tributes. Before she had time to go nearer
+to examine them, sounds of stifled laughter informed her that she was
+not alone.
+
+"You may just come out of those dress closets, everyone of you," she
+called, a tiny catch in her voice. "I know perfectly well that's where
+you are."
+
+Silence followed her command. Suddenly a louder burst of laughter
+greeted her ears. From the closets on both sides of the room her chums
+emerged, fairly tumbling over one another.
+
+"If you will go out by yourself on secret basket-hangings you must
+expect things to happen while you're gone," Jerry playfully upbraided.
+
+"I never dreamed of any such lovely surprise." Marjorie looked almost
+distressed. "And I was so mean to my little pals. I wouldn't tell 'em
+who my violet May basket was for. You shouldn't have taken all this
+trouble for me, dear children. I'm not worth one little bit of it."
+
+"Go tell that to the second cousin of your grandmother's great aunt,"
+was Leila's refreshing response. "We all have good taste. Don't belittle
+it. Since you feel a wee bit conscience-stricken over the violet basket,
+you may square yourself by telling us who it was for."
+
+"I can guess," boasted Muriel. "It was for Miss Humphrey."
+
+"No." Marjorie shook her head.
+
+"Then I don't know; unless it was for Doctor Matthews," Muriel essayed
+with an innocent air. "You have a speaking acquaintance with him, I
+believe."
+
+A shout of mirth followed this ingenuous guess.
+
+"Don't guess again," Marjorie implored.
+
+"I won't. I've guessed wrongly both times. I don't know anyone else who
+might be in line for that scrumptious basket."
+
+"I know where it went, but I'll let Marjorie tell you," Jerry said
+calmly. "I told the girls they would have time to fix up the surprise
+before you came back. Vera did that lettering on one of her sheets in
+about five minutes. Maybe we didn't hustle, though." She had now turned
+to Marjorie. "Do you believe I know where you were?"
+
+Marjorie looked into Jerry's eyes and smiled. "Yes, I think you know,"
+she answered. "I'm going to tell you all." She swept her friends with
+affectionate eyes. "That basket was for Miss Susanna. I ran all the way
+to Hamilton Arms with it. I was a little afraid of getting caught by the
+servants, but I didn't meet a soul inside the gate."
+
+It was her friends' turn to be astonished. A round of exclamatory
+remarks went up at the information, followed by eager questions.
+
+"I can't explain why I did it," Marjorie began when the commotion had
+subsided. "I thought of Miss Susanna when first we planned to hang May
+baskets. I felt as though she needed one. She will never know who hung
+it. I hope it makes her happy. What _I_ didn't expect was _this_."
+She pointed to her own wealth.
+
+"We felt sorry for you in your lonely old age," giggled Helen. "We
+thought you needed something to cheer you up. But we're not going to
+hang around here all evening. We are going to give Miss Remson a May
+shower. Get the basket you made for her and come along. This is my
+party. I've ordered Nesselrode pudding and French cakes from the
+Colonial. Think of that!"
+
+"Wonderful!" Marjorie's eyes were dancing. "She will be so delighted to
+have a surprise party. _She_ really deserves one."
+
+"So she does, and so did you, and you have had one." Helen dropped a
+friendly arm over Marjorie's shoulder. Shyly she endeavored to convey an
+affection she could not put into words. It was a warmth of regard which
+Marjorie drew from those who had learned to know the fine sweetness of
+her disposition.
+
+"I think we are the only ones at Hamilton to hang May baskets," Vera
+observed. "It's a custom that ought to be brought forward."
+
+"It is a beautiful idea." Ronny patted lovingly the big blue bow on her
+basket for Miss Remson. She was extremely fond of the good little
+manager.
+
+"We ought to go in for more of that sort of thing next year," asserted
+Muriel. "Goodness knows we have had enough friction to entitle us to the
+peaceful pursuit of pleasant things."
+
+"'The pursuit of pleasant things.'" repeated Marjorie. "I like to think
+of that as our outlook for next year. We have had two years of hard
+fighting for democracy. I wish we might have peace next year and a
+chance to invest our Alma Mater with new grace, by bringing back to her
+some of these beautiful customs. As a junior I am going to think a good
+deal about Hamilton traditions, too, and impress them on others, if I
+can."
+
+How truly Marjorie carried out her ardent resolution during her third
+year at Hamilton will be told in "Marjorie Dean, College Junior."
+
+THE END
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+SAVE THE WRAPPER!
+
+If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you
+have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome
+stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket--on
+the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt's fine series of
+carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your
+convenience.
+
+_Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the
+Publishers, will receive prompt attention._
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN COLLEGE SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester.
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series
+
+Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High School Series will be eager
+to read this new series, as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in
+these stories.
+
+All Clothbound. Copyright Titles.
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE FRESHMAN
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE JUNIOR
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN HIGH SCHOOL SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+These are clean, wholesome stories that will be of great
+interest to all girls of high school age.
+
+All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+Postage 10c. Extra.
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN POST-GRADUATE SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School
+and College Series.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles.
+
+_With Individual Jackets in Colors._
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, POST GRADUATE
+MARJORIE DEAN, MARVELOUS MANAGER
+MARJORIE DEAN AT HAMILTON ARMS
+MARJORIE DEAN'S ROMANCE
+MARJORIE DEAN MACY
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore, by Pauline Lester
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+<pre>
+
+Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore, by Pauline Lester
+
+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: Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore
+
+Author: Pauline Lester
+
+Release Date: July 14, 2007 [EBook #22071]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style='width:300px'>
+<img src="images/illus-cvr.jpg" alt="" title=""  />
+</div>
+
+<table summary='tn' style='border: 1px solid silver; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-top:10px;'>
+  <tr>
+    <td align="center">
+      <small>Transcriber's Note: Book cover.</small>
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<div class="figcenter" style='width:300px'>
+<a name="illus-000" id="illus-000"></a>
+<img src="images/illus-fpc.jpg" alt="Leila claimed the privilege of conveying the freshman to Silverton Hall, her destination. Page 115" title=""  /><br />
+<span class="caption">Leila claimed the privilege of conveying the freshman to Silverton Hall, her destination. Page 115</span>
+</div>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<table style="margin: auto; border: black 1px solid; width: 400px;" summary=""><tr><td>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 200%; margin-top:40px;">MARJORIE DEAN</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 200%; margin-bottom:30px;">COLLEGE SOPHOMORE</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 180%; margin-bottom:40px;">By PAULINE LESTER</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; margin-bottom:5px;">Author of</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; font-style:italic;">"Marjorie Dean, College Freshman," "Marjorie Dean,</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; font-style:italic;">College Junior," "Marjorie Dean, College Senior"</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; font-style:italic;">and</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; font-style:italic; margin-bottom:40px;">The Marjorie Dean High School Series</p>
+<div style='text-align: center'>
+  <img alt='emblem' src='images/illus-emb.jpg' />
+</div>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; margin-top:40px;">A. L. BURT COMPANY</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; margin-bottom:40px;">Publishers New York</p>
+</td></tr></table>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<table style="margin: auto; border: black 1px solid; width: 400px;" summary=""><tr><td>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 120%; margin-top:20px;">THE</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 120%; margin-bottom:10px;">Marjorie Dean College Series</p>
+<hr style='width:20%;' />
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; margin-bottom:10px;">A Series of Stories for Girls 12 to 18 Years of Age</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 120%; margin-bottom:10px;">By PAULINE LESTER</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; ">Marjorie Dean, College Freshman</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; ">Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; ">Marjorie Dean, College Junior</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; ">Marjorie Dean, College Senior</p>
+<hr style='width:60%;' />
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 80%; ">Copyright, 1922</p>
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 90%; ">By A. L. BURT COMPANY</p>
+<hr style='width:20%;' />
+<p class="titlepage" style="font-size: 100%; margin-bottom:20px;">MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE</p>
+</td></tr></table>
+
+<p style='text-align:center;'>Made in "U. S. A."</p>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<h2 class="toc"><a name="Contents" id="Contents"></a>Contents</h2>
+<table border="0" width="500" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">
+<col style="width:15%;" />
+<col style="width:5%;"  />
+<col style="width:70%;" />
+<col style="width:10%;" />
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">I</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE RETURN.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_RETURN_80">3</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">II.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">A CELEBRATION AT BARETTI'S.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#A_CELEBRATION_AT_BARETTIS_384">16</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">III.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">GATHERING CLOUDS.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#GATHERING_CLOUDS_630">26</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">IV.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">AN INVITATION TO AN "OFFICE PARTY."</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#AN_INVITATION_TO_AN_OFFICE_PARTY_921">38</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">V.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">LETTER NUMBER TWO.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#LETTER_NUMBER_TWO_1156">48</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">VI.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE GENUS "FRESHMAN."</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_GENUS_FRESHMAN_1451">61</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">VII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE SANS' NEW RECRUIT.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_SANS_NEW_RECRUIT_1888">79</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">VIII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">HER FATHER'S METHODS.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#HER_FATHERS_METHODS_2196">92</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">IX.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">FRESHIE FISHING.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#FRESHIE_FISHING_2520">105</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">X.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">WINNING OVER THE FRESHMEN.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#WINNING_OVER_THE_FRESHMEN_2844">119</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XI.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE DIFFERENCE IN PICNIC PLANS.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_DIFFERENCE_IN_PICNIC_PLANS_3083">129</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">A RECKLESS DRIVER.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#A_RECKLESS_DRIVER_3316">139</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XIII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">A PAINFUL INTERVIEW.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#A_PAINFUL_INTERVIEW_3559">149</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XIV.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">A VOLUNTEER MESSENGER.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#A_VOLUNTEER_MESSENGER_3782">159</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XV.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE RENDEZVOUS.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_RENDEZVOUS_4074">171</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XVI.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">FAIR PLAY AND NO FAVORS.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#FAIR_PLAY_AND_NO_FAVORS_4350">183</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XVII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">"GENERAL" CAIRNS TO THE RESCUE.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#GENERAL_CAIRNS_TO_THE_RESCUE_4594">193</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XVIII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">"THE SOFT TALK."</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_SOFT_TALK_4814">202</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XIX.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">A CLAIM ON FRIENDSHIP.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#A_CLAIM_ON_FRIENDSHIP_5041">212</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XX.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">ALL ON ST. VALENTINE'S NIGHT.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#ALL_ON_ST_VALENTINES_NIGHT_5232">220</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXI.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">LOOKOUTS REAL AND TRUE.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#LOOKOUTS_REAL_AND_TRUE_5429">229</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE BITER BITTEN.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_BITER_BITTEN_5667">239</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXIII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">APPARITION OF THE NIGHT.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#APPARITION_OF_THE_NIGHT_5916">250</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXIV.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">AFTER THE FRAY.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#AFTER_THE_FRAY_6090">257</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXV.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">THE BITTERNESS OF DEFEAT.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#THE_BITTERNESS_OF_DEFEAT_6272">266</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXVI.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">ON MAY-DAY NIGHT.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#ON_MAYDAY_NIGHT_6425">273</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td align="right">XXVII.</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td align="left">CONCLUSION.</td>
+  <td align="right"><a href="#CONCLUSION_6560">279</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<table summary='tn' style='border: 1px solid silver; background-color:#ffffcc; margin-top:10px;'>
+  <tr>
+    <td align="center">
+      <small>Transcriber's Note: Table of Contents not present in original book.</small>
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<h1>MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE</h1>
+
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_3" id="page_3" title="3"></a>
+<a name="THE_RETURN_80" id="THE_RETURN_80"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER I</h2>
+<h3>THE RETURN.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"Hamilton, at last!" Marjorie Dean's utterance expressed her
+satisfaction of the journey's near end.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; Hamilton, at last," repeated Muriel Harding. "This September it
+doesn't matter a particle whether or not we are met at the station. We
+are sophomores. We know what to do and where to go without the help of
+the celebrated Sans Soucians." Muriel's inflection was one of sarcasm.</p>
+
+<p>"All the help they ever gave us as freshmen can be told in two words:
+<i>no help</i>. Forget the Sans. I hate to think of them. I hope not one of
+them is back. The station platform will look beautiful without them."
+Jerry Macy delivered herself of this uncomplimentary opinion as she
+began methodically to gather up her luggage.<a class="pagenum" name="page_4" id="page_4" title="4"></a></p>
+
+<p>"How very sad to see two Hamiltonites so utterly lacking in college
+spirit." Veronica Lynne simulated pained surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; isn't it?" retorted Jerry. "Whose fault is it that Muriel and I
+haven't last year's trusting faith in reception committees? Recall how
+we stood on the station platform like a flock of dummies with no one to
+bid us the time of day or say a kind word to us. No wonder my love for
+the Sans is a minus quantity."</p>
+
+<p>"You aren't following your own advice," calmly criticized Lucy Warner.
+"You said 'Forget the Sans' and went right on talking about them."</p>
+
+<p>"'And thou, too, Brutus!'" Jerry dramatically struck her hand to her
+forehead. "It is getting to the point where one can't say a single word
+around here without being called to account for it. This distressing
+state of affairs must stop." She frowned portentously at Lucy, who
+merely giggled. "You may blame Ronny for egging me on to further cutting
+remarks about the Sans. I was prepared to forget them until she
+undertook to call Muriel and I down. Then I simply had to defend our
+position."</p>
+
+<p>"What position?" innocently queried Ronny. "I was not aware that you and
+Muriel&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"The train has stopped. Didn't you know it?" was Marjorie's amused
+interruption. "Stop squabbling and come along." She was already in the<a class="pagenum" name="page_5" id="page_5" title="5"></a>
+aisle and impatient to be on the move. "Helen Trent is out on the
+platform, Jeremiah. I just caught a glimpse of her. I hope Leila and
+Vera are out there, too. Let me assist you into the aisle." Marjorie
+playfully gripped Jerry's arm in a vain effort to draw her to her feet.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you. I can assist myself. I am not yet aged enough to require
+your services. You may carry my suitcase, if you like. It's as heavy as
+lead."</p>
+
+<p>"Charmed, but unfortunately I have one to carry equally heavy," Marjorie
+hastily declined. "I only offered to haul you up from the seat. My offer
+didn't include luggage carrying."</p>
+
+<p>"You are a fake." Jerry rose and prepared to follow Marjorie down the
+aisle. As she went she peered anxiously out of the car windows for a
+first glimpse of her particular friend, Helen Trent.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes of the other four Lookouts were also turned eagerly toward the
+station platform in search of their Hamilton friends.</p>
+
+<p>A year had elapsed since first the Five Travelers, as the quintette of
+Sanford girls had named themselves, had set foot in the Country of
+College. Each was recalling now how very strangely she had felt on first
+glimpsing Hamilton station with its bevy of laughing, chatting girls,
+not one of whom they knew. Then they had been entering freshmen,<a class="pagenum" name="page_6" id="page_6" title="6"></a> with
+everything to learn about college. Now they were sophomores, with a year
+of college experience to their credit. What befell Marjorie Dean and her
+four Lookout chums as freshmen at Hamilton College has already been
+recounted in "<span class="smcap">Marjorie Dean, College Freshman</span>."</p>
+
+<p>"Hooray!" rejoiced Jerry, from the top step of the train, waving her
+handbag, a magazine and a tennis racket, all of which she clutched in
+her right hand. This vociferous greeting was for Helen, who was making
+equally vociferous signals of jubilation at the descending travelers.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie had also caught sight of Leila Harper and Vera Mason, and was
+waving them a welcome. Lucy's eyes were fixed on Katherine Langly, whom
+she knew had come down to the station especially to meet her. Veronica
+and Muriel were exchanging gay hand salutations with a group of
+Silverton Hall girls prior to greeting them on the platform. An instant
+and the Five Travelers were free of the train and surrounded.</p>
+
+<p>"And is it yourself?" Leila Harper was hugging Marjorie in an excess of
+true Irish affection. "Vera had a hunch this morning that you would be
+here today. I said it was too early; that you wouldn't be here until the
+first of next week. She would have it her way, so we drove down to meet<a class="pagenum" name="page_7" id="page_7" title="7"></a>
+this train. Now I know she has the gifted eye and the seeing mind, as we
+Irish say."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a good thing for us that she had that hunch," declared Marjorie,
+turning to Vera and holding out both hands. "I was hoping you would both
+be here to meet us. I would have wired you, Leila, but was not sure that
+you would be back at Hamilton so early. We are here a week earlier than
+last year. We wanted to be at home as long as we could, but we felt
+that, as sophomores, we ought to come back earlier to help the freshies.
+We had such a lonesome time on our freshman appearance at Hamilton, you
+know."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I know," returned Leila significantly. "That was one of the Sans'
+performances which was never explained. Away with them. This is no time
+to think of them. The rest of your Lookouts are running off and leaving
+you, Beauty." This last had been Leila's pet name for Marjorie since the
+latter had won the title at a beauty contest given the previous year at
+the freshman frolic.</p>
+
+<p>"They'd better not run far. I am going to take you all back to college
+in my car," Vera hospitably informed Marjorie. "Leila brought Helen
+Trent, Katherine, Ethel Laird and Martha Merrick to the station in her
+car. Ethel expects a freshman cousin from Troy, New York. Martha came
+along because she had nothing else to do. She said she<a class="pagenum" name="page_8" id="page_8" title="8"></a> would like to
+see if my hunch came true. She had never yet heard of one that amounted
+to a row of pins. She was sure you would not be on the 5.50 train. Oh,
+wait until I catch sight of her! She's circulating around the platform
+somewhere."</p>
+
+<p>"So are my pals." Marjorie glanced about her, endeavoring to locate her
+chums. None of them were far away. Lucy and Katherine Langly were
+already approaching. Muriel and Ronny were still engaged with the group
+of Silverton Hall girls. Neither Robina Page nor Portia Graham were
+among them. It was quite likely they had not yet returned to Hamilton.</p>
+
+<p>"Just as soon as we can collect your crowd, Marjorie, we'll spin you
+along to the Hall. Then, I beg to inform you, you are needed at a grand
+rally at Baretti's. Let us have faith in the stars that those four pals
+of yours have not recklessly accepted invitations to other celebrations.
+And if they have, I shall be in a high temper. I warn you." Leila showed
+her white teeth in a smile that was certainly no indication of
+ill-temper.</p>
+
+<p>"They haven't, Leila," Marjorie happily assured. She was thinking what a
+joy it was to see Leila again. "On the train we all agreed not to accept
+any invitations to dinner on this first evening. Our plan was to take
+you and Vera, Helen and Katherine and Hortense Barlow to Baretti's for a
+feast, provided<a class="pagenum" name="page_9" id="page_9" title="9"></a> you were all here. If some of you were missing, then we
+thought we would take those of you who had come back to the Colonial,
+and wait until you all arrived for the other celebration. You see, it is
+to be what you might call a 'first friends'' party. Helen was the first
+girl we met. Now she and Jerry are college pals. Katherine is Lucy's
+first friend. Muriel is so fond of Hortense, and Ronny and I look upon
+you and Vera as nearer than any of the others. I am fond of Robin Page,
+and Portia Graham, too. They really ought to be included. Are they here,
+and how long have you and Vera been back?"</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie made her explanations and asked her questions almost in the
+same breath.</p>
+
+<p>"We have been here three days. We have been really busy though. We had
+our unpacking to do, and we changed the furniture around in our room. We
+spent one whole afternoon playing golf. We both adore the Hamilton
+links. The time has gone fast, although we have missed our own
+particular cronies, especially in the evenings. Now we can have a few
+jollifications before college starts." Vera answered for Leila, who had
+turned to greet Lucy Warner.</p>
+
+<p>Presently Muriel and Ronny joined them, to be warmly welcomed by the two
+juniors. Jerry and Helen Trent were the last to arrive. With their<a class="pagenum" name="page_10" id="page_10" title="10"></a>
+appearance among the group of staunch comrades, the entire party began a
+slow walk down the platform and toward the stairs which led away from
+the station.</p>
+
+<p>"If you are in search of information as to who's where and when you may
+expect them, ask Helen. As I used to say of myself, 'I know everything
+about everybody,' I now pass on that same saying to my esteemed friend,
+Miss Trent." Jerry beamed on Helen with exaggerated admiration.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Jeremiah, don't you think that a rather sweeping statement? There
+may be just a <i>few</i> students at Hamilton I don't happen to be informed
+about. You will give our friends here the impression that I am a
+busybody. Remember I am now a junior. Try to treat me with more
+respect." Helen smiled indolent good nature as she thus admonished
+Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll try, but that's all the good it will do. The whole trouble is, you
+don't command my awe and respect," complained Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"Neither do you inspire such feelings in me," placidly returned Helen.
+"We'll simply have to go on being disrespectful to each other," she
+ended, with a chuckle which Jerry echoed.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us see." The little company had reached the place where Leila and
+Vera had parked their cars. Leila now cast speculative eyes over the<a class="pagenum" name="page_11" id="page_11" title="11"></a>
+group. "Martha is missing. Ethel must have found her cousin, surely. If
+she did not find her she was to go back to the campus with us. I lost
+track of her after the train whistled in. Martha is probably with Ethel;
+helping to impress the freshman cousin with junior estate," Leila made
+whimsical guess. "I think we are ready to start. Nine of us; that's four
+to your car and five to mine, Midget."</p>
+
+<p>"All right," returned Vera. "Choose your five, or, better, let your five
+choose you. The sooner we start, the sooner we will reach the Hall. That
+means a longer time to celebrate tonight."</p>
+
+<p>"Delighted to ride with either of you," assured Muriel. "The main
+feature of this occasion is the beautiful fact that we are cherished
+enough to be actually met at the station and asked to ride in folks'
+automobiles."</p>
+
+<p>"Muriel can't get over the freezing-out we met with last September,"
+commented Ronny.</p>
+
+<p>"Neither can I. I feel chilly every time I think of it. Br-r-r!" Jerry
+made pretense of shivering.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we all know whose fault that was," shrugged Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"Precisely what I said just before we left the train," nodded Jerry. "We
+couldn't understand for a long time why those three Sans should have
+taken it upon themselves at all to meet our train. We<a class="pagenum" name="page_12" id="page_12" title="12"></a> have a clear idea
+now of why it was. Tonight, at the celebration, I'll hold forth on the
+subject. Let us not mar the sweet joy of meeting by gossiping," she
+ended with an irresistibly funny simper.</p>
+
+<p>"No; let us not," echoed Leila dryly. "Be quick with your choosing now.
+Time will keep on flying."</p>
+
+<p>Five minutes later, Marjorie, Ronny, Helen and Jerry were leaving the
+station yard in Leila's car. Muriel, Lucy, Katherine and Vera occupied
+the latter's smart limousine. In comparison with the subdued almost sad
+little party they had been on the previous September, the Five Travelers
+were now a very merry company of adventurers in the Country of College.</p>
+
+<p>On the front seat of Leila's roadster, beside Leila, Marjorie was silent
+for a little, as Leila skilfully guided the trim roadster in and out of
+the considerable traffic of Herndon Avenue, Hamilton's main
+thoroughfare.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you seen any of the Sans yet, Leila?" she presently questioned.
+The car was now turning into Highland Avenue, which led directly to
+Hamilton Estates. Marjorie glimpsed, in passing, the same wealth of
+colorful leaf and bloom she had so greatly admired when driving through
+the pretty town the previous autumn.</p>
+
+<p>"No signs of them yet," Leila made reply. "I am<a class="pagenum" name="page_13" id="page_13" title="13"></a> not grieving. I am
+wondering if they will be at the Hall again this year. Miss Remson
+doesn't want them; that I know. After they made the trouble for you, she
+declared she would not let them come back if she could help it."</p>
+
+<p>"I know." Marjorie was silent for a moment. "I had a talk with Miss
+Remson in June, just before college closed," she said slowly. "I asked
+her not to make a complaint to President Matthews on my account. I told
+her it would not make any difference to me if they stayed at the Hall. I
+did not believe it would make any to the rest of the girls. None of us
+had spoken to them since the meeting in the living room. None of us were
+in the least afraid of them. We had as much right to be at the Hall as
+they. She finally promised to leave me out of it entirely, but she
+intended to make complaint against them on her own account."</p>
+
+<p>"Then they will soon be here, lug and luggage," predicted Leila with a
+groan. "It is the way they treated you that would have counted against
+them. Our president is a stickler for honor. He might readily expel them
+for that very performance."</p>
+
+<p>"That is what I was afraid of. I should not wish a student expelled from
+Hamilton on my account. It was hard enough to have to call them to
+account, as we did last March."</p>
+
+<p>"They have had all summer to get over the shock.<a class="pagenum" name="page_14" id="page_14" title="14"></a> They'll be planning
+new trouble this fall." Leila spoke with the confidence of belief.
+"Leslie Cairns never gives up. Are you ready to fight them again,
+Beauty?" Leila eyed Marjorie quizzically. She asked the question in the
+odd, level tone she had used on first acquaintance with Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"I think this: Our best way to fight the Sans is by influence. Their
+influence, founded as it is on money values, is not beneficial to
+Hamilton College. Ours should be founded strictly on observing the
+traditions of Hamilton. We must make other students see that, too. We
+can't lecture on the subject, of course. It will have to be a silent
+struggle for nobler aims. I hardly know how to explain my meaning. I
+only wish everyone else here had the same feeling of reverence for
+Hamilton that I have."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie paused, quite at a loss to put into words all that was in her
+heart. As they talked, the roadster had been spinning rapidly along
+through Hamilton Estates. Suddenly the campus, of living velvety green,
+appeared upon their view. The old, potent spell of its beauty gripped
+the little lieutenant afresh. She had a desire to rise in the seat and
+shout a welcome to her first Hamilton friend. A verse of a forest hymn
+she had learned as a child in the grade schools sprang to her memory. It
+was so well suited to the campus.<a class="pagenum" name="page_15" id="page_15" title="15"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I've always loved the campus, Leila," she began. "I call it my first
+friend and the chimes my second. Those two things meant the most to me
+when first we came to Hamilton and felt so out of the college picture.
+Just now I happened to recall a verse of a song we used to sing in
+school. It is a hymn to the forest, but it describes Hamilton campus and
+all the college itself should stand for." Marjorie repeated the verse,
+her eyes on the rolling emerald spread:</p>
+
+<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">
+<tr><td>"Who rightly scans thy beauty, a world of truth must read;</td></tr>
+<tr><td>Of life and hope and duty; our help in time of need.</td></tr>
+<tr><td>And I have read them often, those words so true and clear,</td></tr>
+<tr><td>What heart that would not soften, thy wisdom to revere."</td></tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_16" id="page_16" title="16"></a>
+<a name="A_CELEBRATION_AT_BARETTIS_384" id="A_CELEBRATION_AT_BARETTIS_384"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+<h3>A CELEBRATION AT BARETTI'S.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The Lookouts' plan to entertain their friends at either Baretti's or the
+Colonial on their first evening at Hamilton was over-ruled by Leila and
+Vera. As Hortense Barlow, Robina Page and Portia Graham were still
+missing from their circle of friends, they agreed to postpone their own
+celebration until the missing ones should have returned to Hamilton.
+Thus Vera and Leila gained their point and were in high glee over it.
+Privately they were glad to have the Lookouts to themselves for the
+evening, with the addition only of Katherine and Helen.</p>
+
+<p>The warm September day had vanished into a soft, balmy night, garnished
+by a full, silvery moon. The road to Baretti's was light as day and the
+nine girls, clad in delicate-hued summer frocks, added to the pale
+beauty of the night. They were in high spirits, as the incessant murmur
+of their voices, punctuated by frequent ripples of light laughter, amply
+testified.<a class="pagenum" name="page_17" id="page_17" title="17"></a></p>
+
+<p>Entering the quaint, stately restaurant, the Lookouts stopped to pay
+courteous respects to Guiseppe Baretti, the proud proprietor, a small,
+somber-eyed Italian. Their frequent patronage of Baretti's during their
+freshman year had made them very welcome guests. Signor Baretti's solemn
+face became wreathed with smiles as he greeted them.</p>
+
+<p>"It is certainly good to be here again!" exclaimed Jerry. By
+appropriating two extra chairs from a nearby vacant table, the nine
+diners had managed to seat themselves without crowding at one table.</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't it, though?" Vera Mason glanced happily around the circle. "I
+miss Baretti's dreadfully during vacations. There is really no other
+restaurant quite like it."</p>
+
+<p>"We missed it too, this summer. Our main standby in Sanford was
+Sargeant's. You and Leila made its acquaintance when you were in Sanford
+last Easter. We used to go there so often after school. I wonder we ever
+had an appetite for dinner when we went home. Of course it can't be
+compared with Baretti's, as it is merely a confectioner's shop. We had
+happy times there, though," Marjorie concluded.</p>
+
+<p>"It was a regular conspirator's shop," Jerry supplemented. "Whenever we
+had anything special to talk over, the watchword was, 'On to
+Sargeant's.'"</p>
+
+<p>"We settled a great many weighty affairs of state<a class="pagenum" name="page_18" id="page_18" title="18"></a> at Sargeant's."
+Muriel smiled reminiscently. "I suppose Baretti's will grow dearer to us
+as we plod along our college way. I like it better than the Colonial,
+which lacks the air this place has. Besides, the Sans monopolize it so
+that I had rather come here."</p>
+
+<p>"Why did the Sans turn from Baretti's to the Colonial?" Lucy asked
+tersely. Her analytic mind had not for an instant lost sight of Vera's
+earlier remark concerning the proprietor. "What happened?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, it took a large number of straws to break the camel's back. When it
+broke&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Bing!" obligingly supplied Jerry. "I can picture the wrath of an
+outraged Baretti."</p>
+
+<p>"He was wrathful more than once before he said a word. The Sans used to
+be awfully noisy when they dined or lunched here. Guiseppe did not like
+that. They used to reserve tables by telephone, then, when they reached
+here for dinner, they would claim he had not reserved the tables they
+had asked for. That was a trick of Leslie Cairns. She would tell him
+that he ought not charge extra for the tables as he had not complied
+with her order properly. There were all sorts of little points like that
+which the Sans used to argue with him. They used to tease him purposely
+to see him get angry. When he is very angry he says not a word. He
+clenches his<a class="pagenum" name="page_19" id="page_19" title="19"></a> hands and his face turns fiery red. His eyes snap and he
+looks as though he would like to turn inside out. He half opens his
+mouth, then turns on his heel and scuttles off.</p>
+
+<p>"One evening in February," Vera continued, "Leila and I came here for
+dinner. One of the sophs had a birthday and she was giving a dinner to
+eighteen of her classmates. Remember, Leila? They had those three tables
+over there." Vera nodded toward the opposite side of the room. "The room
+was quite well filled, when in came Leslie Cairns, Joan Myers and
+Natalie Weyman with three girls who had come from a prep. school to
+spend a week-end with Joan. There wasn't a single table at which they
+all could sit. Instead of calling Guiseppe, Leslie Cairns walked
+straight to the soph who was giving the dinner, and claimed she had
+taken a table which Joan had reserved by telephone. The soph should
+simply have stayed away upon her dignity and called Signor Baretti. She
+was indignant, naturally, and began to argue the matter with Miss
+Cairns. They both grew furious and talked so loudly you could hear them
+all over the room. Natalie Weyman undertook to champion Leslie, and
+Leslie told her to shut her mouth and mind her own affairs. She is <i>so</i>
+uncouth when she loses her temper. Honestly, a regular pow-wow went on
+for a few minutes."<a class="pagenum" name="page_20" id="page_20" title="20"></a></p>
+
+<p>Vera stopped her narrative to laugh as she recalled that very stormy
+altercation. Leila was also laughing. Nor could the other listeners fail
+to be amused.</p>
+
+<p>"I can imagine how that poor soph felt to be jumped on so unexpectedly,
+when she was playing the agreeable hostess at her own birthday party."
+Jerry's sympathy for the injured sophomore did not prevent her from
+laughing. The funny side of such tragedies invariably struck Jerry
+first. "How did the pow-wow end?"</p>
+
+<p>"Very likely an enraged Baretti swooped down on them and read them the
+law in broken and indignant English," guessed Ronny, with a glance
+toward the cashier's desk, where the stolid little proprietor sat
+counting the day's receipts.</p>
+
+<p>"Did he?" emphasized Vera. "He crossed the floor as though he had wings
+attached to his shoes. He stopped directly in front of Leslie Cairns. We
+couldn't hear what he said to her. It wasn't more than half a dozen
+sentences. They must have been strictly to the point. She glared at him
+and he glared back. Then she said loudly enough to be heard all over the
+room: 'Come on, girls. Let the dago have his hash house. I hope it burns
+down tonight.' The six of them went out of the restaurant, laughing.
+Guiseppe was wild. He swore they should never be allowed to set foot in
+this place<a class="pagenum" name="page_21" id="page_21" title="21"></a> again. They stayed away until after Easter. Gradually they
+drifted back, and he didn't reopen the quarrel. They have been on their
+good behavior here since then."</p>
+
+<p>"Quite a collegiate performance. What?" Leila gave an exact imitation of
+Leslie Cairns' manner of uttering the interrogation. "Take the truth
+from me, our freshie year was full of just such scenes put over by those
+girls."</p>
+
+<p>"The soph who had the fuss with Leslie Cairns is a senior this year. You
+may believe the Sans will get no favors from her and her party crowd.
+The Sans will find out some day that they can't sow tares and expect to
+reap flowers," concluded Vera with some warmth.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but it will take them such a very long time to find it out,"
+Muriel said impatiently. "If we don't stand up for the honor of our Alma
+Mater, who will?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, we've done some good," sturdily asserted Jerry. "We wouldn't
+allow the Sans to rag Katherine. The Beauty contest was an awful damper
+to them, especially Miss Weyman. It put a crimp in her sails. She needed
+to be suppressed. Then came the trouble about basket ball. The Silverton
+House girls deserve most of the credit for that <i>coup de grace</i>. It
+certainly brought the freshman class together with a snap. There are
+only about twelve or<a class="pagenum" name="page_22" id="page_22" title="22"></a> fifteen of the present sophs who are Sans
+worshippers. Miss Reid won't dare interfere with sports this year."</p>
+
+<p>"A strong blow you freshies struck for fairness in college sports,"
+commended Leila. "They will be properly managed this year."</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Reid is to have only light gymnastics and folk dancing from this
+on," announced Helen. "There is to be a new gym instructor; a young man.
+He is a physical culture expert and an acrobat. He is to teach bar and
+trapeze work."</p>
+
+<p>"You don't mean it!" Leila puckered her lips into a soft whistle. "What
+is to become of Miss Bailey? She is a better teacher of folk dancing
+than Miss Reid. Who told you, Helen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Bailey herself. I came up from town with her the other day in a
+taxi. She seems pleased with the new arrangement. She is to assist both
+Miss Reid and the new instructor. You know she is an athletic wonder for
+a woman. She does very difficult acrobatic work and understands teaching
+balance. That is so difficult to teach."</p>
+
+<p>"Who knows? This may be Miss Reid's last year with us," Leila said with
+a tinge of laughing malice. "It is said a change of that kind for a
+teacher at college generally precedes a violent drop. If true, we must
+try to bear our loss. It takes time to recover from such losses. How we
+do ramble<a class="pagenum" name="page_23" id="page_23" title="23"></a> from the subject. Let us be turning back to our freshies'
+good works."</p>
+
+<p>"Muriel stopped at that basket ball affair last winter," prompted
+Katherine. "I'll mention it before Lucy has a chance. She isn't the only
+one who can keep tab on things."</p>
+
+<p>"I see I shall have to keep you in the background." Lucy bent a severe
+eye on Katherine. "You are out to steal my glory."</p>
+
+<p>"Just tell her to subside, a la Leslie Cairns," suggested Helen. "What a
+shame that I missed that lovely party row at Baretti's. I heard echoes
+of it on the campus for a week afterward. Let me tell you, I admire
+Ronny for the way she wound up that tale the Sans started against
+Marjorie last March. It was the best thing that could have been done."</p>
+
+<p>"Something had to be done." Ronny's gray eyes grew flinty. "Those
+particular girls took an unusually bold stand against her. I am
+surprised that they did not attempt to haze her earlier in the year."</p>
+
+<p>"It probably did not occur to them," was Vera's opinion. "If it had,
+they might have tried it. It is strictly forbidden here. The hazers
+would certainly be expelled. President Matthews is down on it with both
+feet. A niece of his was hazed at college and contracted pneumonia. She
+died of it and he has been doubly opposed to it since then."<a class="pagenum" name="page_24" id="page_24" title="24"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I am glad I was saved midnight visits from sheeted ghosts or some such
+eerie horror," laughed Marjorie. "It wouldn't have done them
+any good if ever they had hazed me. I would have refused to do one
+single thing they told me to do. It wouldn't have been a specially
+pleasant experience to waken suddenly and find the room inhabited by
+spooks. Still I wouldn't have been afraid of them. I am glad to be a
+soph. I am past the grind and hazing stage. Do tell the girls about
+Row-ena Farnham, Jeremiah. You promised them you would."</p>
+
+<p>"And so I will," affably consented Jerry. "I think I'll save it for
+dessert, though."</p>
+
+<p>"I think you won't," quickly objected Leila. "Be nice and tell us now.
+Dessert is afar off. The sherbet and the salad stand between it."</p>
+
+<p>Having come to a speedy selection of their dinner, immediately they were
+seated at table, they were now finishing the toothsome old-fashioned
+chicken pot-pie and its palatable accompaniments which was one of
+Baretti's most popular specialties.</p>
+
+<p>"All right children, I will humor you," Jerry made gracious concession,
+as other protesting voices arose. "Understand this is no news to the
+Lookouts here assembled."</p>
+
+<p>"We don't mind hearing it again. We're the pattern of amiability,"
+Muriel made light assurance.</p>
+
+<p>"Charmed, to be sure," beamed Ronny.<a class="pagenum" name="page_25" id="page_25" title="25"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I'll take your word for it." Jerry did not appear specially impressed
+by such overwhelming forbearance. "To begin with, the Macys spend their
+summers at Severn Beach. The Farnhams have a regular castle at
+Tanglewood, a resort about ten miles from Severn Beach. It is needless
+to say that Row-ena and I do not exchange visits. I am happy to say I
+never saw her at Severn Beach. Think what the beach has been spared."</p>
+
+<p>"One afternoon Hal took me to Tanglewood in his sailboat. He went to see
+a couple of his chums about arranging for a yacht race. I didn't care to
+go with him to the cottage. I knew they didn't want me butting in while
+they planned their race. I stayed down on the sands near the boat. Hal
+had promised to be back by four o'clock.</p>
+
+<p>"I watched the bathers for a while. There were only a few in the water
+that day," Jerry continued. "Finally, I thought I would go up to a large
+pavilion at the head of the pier for an ice. I sat in the pavilion
+eating a pineapple ice as peacefully as you please. All of a sudden I
+realized someone had stopped beside my chair; two someones by the way.
+One of them was Row-ena Quarrelena Fightena Scrapena; the other," Jerry
+paused impressively, "was our precious hob-goblin, Miss Cairns."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_26" id="page_26" title="26"></a>
+<a name="GATHERING_CLOUDS_630" id="GATHERING_CLOUDS_630"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+<h3>GATHERING CLOUDS.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"Really!" came in surprised exclamation from Vera.</p>
+
+<p>"Hmm! What a congenial pair!" was Helen Trent's placid reception of the
+information.</p>
+
+<p>"Like walks with like." Leila's tones vibrated with satirical truth.
+"Knaves fall out, but to fall in again."</p>
+
+<p>"I know it," agreed Jerry. "One would naturally suppose that Miss Cairns
+would have no use for Row-ena after the net she led her into. Not a bit
+of it."</p>
+
+<p>"It must have been a shock, Jeremiah, to look up suddenly and find
+yourself in such company." Helen could not repress the ghost of a
+chuckle.</p>
+
+<p>"It was. They were lined up for battle. I saw that at a glance. Row-ena
+was half laughing; a trick of hers when she is all ready to make a grand
+disturbance. Leslie Cairns looked like a Japanese thundercloud. I never
+said a word; just sat very<a class="pagenum" name="page_27" id="page_27" title="27"></a> straight in my chair. I went on eating my
+ice as if I didn't know they were there. Like this."</p>
+
+<p>Jerry gave an imitation of her manner and facial expression on the
+occasion she was describing.</p>
+
+<p>"I thought they might give it up as a bad job and go away, but they
+stayed. Then Row-ena started in with a regular tirade about Marjorie and
+all of us. I can't repeat what she said word for word. Anyway, she
+called us all liars. I don't remember what I said, but it must have been
+effective. I certainly handed Row-ena my candid opinion of herself. She
+saw she was getting the worst of the argument and declared she wouldn't
+stay and be so insulted. She started out of the pavilion, calling Miss
+Cairns to come along. The fair Leslie wouldn't budge. She told Row-ena
+to go on, that she had something to say to me. That was the first remark
+she had made. Then she asked me in her slow, drawling way if I would
+listen to something she had to say to me. I said I would not. I had
+heard too much as it was. I got up and beat it and left her standing
+there. I was so sore I forgot to pay for my ice. I had to send Hal back
+with the money. As I started away from the pavilion, I saw Row-ena
+getting into a dizzy-looking black and white roadster. I think the car
+belonged to Miss Cairns. It looked like her. I suppose she and dear<a class="pagenum" name="page_28" id="page_28" title="28"></a>
+Row-ena had been out for a ride and simply happened to run across me in
+the pavilion.</p>
+
+<p>"Now comes the most interesting part of the story." Jerry glanced from
+one to another of her attentive little audience. "Three days afterward
+the postman left me a letter. The address was typed, so was the letter.
+When I opened it, I soon knew the writer. Here it is." Jerry produced a
+letter from a white kid bag she was carrying. "The distinguished writer
+of this letter is Leslie Cairns. I brought it along to read to you
+because what she has to say includes all of us. It's what I would call
+an open declaration of war. Listen to this:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"'<span class="smcap">Miss Macy</span>:</p>
+
+<p>"'Since you refused to listen to me the other day, I must resort to
+pen and ink to make you understand that when I have anything to say
+to a person I propose to say it. It isn't a case of what you want.
+It is a case of what I want. To begin with, I knew all about you
+and your pals before ever you came to Hamilton. My friend, Miss
+Farnham, heard that you were to enter Hamilton and warned me
+against all of you. I had you looked up, as I have powerful ways
+and means of doing this.</p>
+
+<p>"'As your friend, Miss Dean, the lying little hypocrite, had made
+my friend, Miss Farnham, so much trouble at high school, I decided
+to even her score for her. At first I did not intend to allow<a class="pagenum" name="page_29" id="page_29" title="29"></a> you
+to enter Hamilton at all. When I say "you" I include those dear
+chums of yours. My father could easily have arranged to keep you
+out of Hamilton. Then I concluded it would be better to let you
+come here and make things lively for you.</p>
+
+<p>"'I proposed that call on you ninnies on your first evening at
+college. We arranged matters so as to fuss you self-satisfied
+freshies a little and keep you from your dinner. We didn't care
+anything about meeting you, but we thought we might as well look
+you over. Miss Weyman gave it out that she would meet your party
+with her car on purpose to keep other students away. We wanted you
+to be a little bit lonesome. When you said in your room, that you
+saw Miss Weyman's car at the station, we thought perhaps you might
+have seen through the joke. But you were so thick. You didn't.</p>
+
+<p>"'Miss Weyman had no intention of wasting good gasoline on you. She
+loaded her car with girls on purpose. There was no room to spare.
+She stopped it above the station yard and stayed there until after
+the train had come in. After a while she drove into the yard and
+out again. Not one of us set foot on the platform. It was a clever
+bluff and served you precisely right.</p>
+
+<p>"'I haven't either the patience or the will to tell you all the
+clever stunts we put over on you simpletons<a class="pagenum" name="page_30" id="page_30" title="30"></a> last year. Believe me,
+when I say, it isn't a circumstance compared to what we intend to
+do this year. You came back at us in March in a way we will not
+forget or overlook. You think you are pretty strongly intrenched
+because you and your crowd are quite pally with certain upper class
+students who pose as wonders of smartness. Well, don't build too
+much on your popularity. Popularity sometimes has a habit of
+vanishing over night.</p>
+
+<p>"'It seems too bad to be wasting time and paper on you, but I am
+square enough to let you have the truth straight from the shoulder.
+You girls have made us trouble from the start, and I predict that
+it will not be long before Hamilton will be too small to hold your
+crowd and mine. Your crowd will be the one to go; not the Sans. I
+am not afraid to tell you this, because there is nothing in this
+letter that you can get me on.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:right'>"'<span class="smcap">Leslie Cairns</span>.'"</p></div>
+
+<p>"That is so like Leslie Cairns." Leila's blue eyes flashed their
+profound contempt. "She loves to boast of her own ill-doing. She thinks
+it gives her a standing among her friends. She poses as being afraid of
+nothing and no one.</p>
+
+<p>"That is truly an outrageous letter!" Vera's voice rang with shocked
+indignation. "I wonder at her boldness in writing it."<a class="pagenum" name="page_31" id="page_31" title="31"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Ah, but consider! It is a typed letter. Would you mind letting me look
+at the signature, Jerry?" Helen requested.</p>
+
+<p>"With pleasure." Jerry willingly surrendered the typed letter to Helen.</p>
+
+<p>The latter studied the signature shrewdly. "I don't think this is Leslie
+Cairns signature," she said, shaking her head. "That is about the way I
+thought it would be."</p>
+
+<p>"Humph!" Leila had evidently caught Helen's meaning. The others looked a
+trifle mystified.</p>
+
+<p>"But Leila just now said the letter sounded like Leslie Cairns!" Jerry
+exclaimed. "She wrote it. I am sure of that. Her name is signed to it.
+Why then&mdash;&mdash;" Jerry stopped. "Oh, yes," she went on, in sudden
+enlightenment. "I begin to understand."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course you do," returned Helen. "In the first place," she explained
+to her puzzled listeners, "this letter has neither date nor place of
+writing. It is typed and signed 'Leslie Cairns,' but I am almost
+positive she did not sign it. She has either disguised her hand or
+another person has signed her name to it at her request, you may be
+sure. Object&mdash;if Jerry decided to make her any trouble at Hamilton over
+the letter, she would say she had nothing whatever to do with the
+writing of it."</p>
+
+<p>"It would take a whole lot of nerve to do that. After what happened last
+year, she could hardly<a class="pagenum" name="page_32" id="page_32" title="32"></a> hope to be believed." This was Muriel's view of
+the matter.</p>
+
+<p>"Still, if the letter were typed and not signed by her, there would be
+no proof that she wrote it unless someone had seen her write it." Helen
+argued. "We are positive she wrote it, because the contents of the
+letter tally with the Sans' attitude and actions toward Marjorie and you
+Sandfordites. Yet, what would hinder her from saying that some friend of
+yours, to whom you had told your troubles, or, that even one of you five
+girls wrote that letter, simply for spite? I do not say that she would
+do so. I only say she might. She is capable of it."</p>
+
+<p>"I agree with you, Helen. Leslie Cairns would stand before President
+Matthews and declare up and down that she never dreamed of writing such
+a letter, if it pleased her to do it." Leila spoke with conviction. "She
+took chances, of course, of being called to account for the statements
+she made in the letter. Undoubtedly, she had her whole course of action
+planned out before ever she wrote it. While she couldn't be sure you
+wouldn't make a fuss about it, because of the way Ronny brought the Sans
+to book last March, she could plan the best way to brazen it out if she
+got into difficulties over it.</p>
+
+<p>"Just imagine! She had a grudge against the Lookouts before ever she met
+them. Leila and I were always suspicious of the way Natalie Weyman<a class="pagenum" name="page_33" id="page_33" title="33"></a>
+acted about meeting you at the station. We could not fathom the object
+of such a performance. We both thought there was more to it than
+appeared on the surface." Vera nodded wisely.</p>
+
+<p>"And all on account of the maliciousness of Row-ena Farnham. Why, none
+of us had seen her for over two years! We supposed she belonged to our
+departed high school days." Muriel's tones betrayed decided umbrage.</p>
+
+<p>"You can make up your minds that I don't intend ever to serve on any
+reform committees&mdash;object, the betterment of the heathen; the Sans, I
+mean." Jerry made this announcement with a shade of belligerence.
+Unconsciously she turned her eyes toward Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie laughed. "I know what you are thinking, Jeremiah," she said,
+with quiet amazement. "Don't worry. I shall not suggest a reform
+movement here for the Sans' moral benefit."</p>
+
+<p>"Glad of it. Imagine me laboring patiently with that benighted heathen,
+Leslie Cairns, to help her to see herself as others see her," grumbled
+Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"How much the Sans would enjoy being called the heathen," interposed
+Katherine Langly.</p>
+
+<p>"It's appropriate. When people behave like savages, they class
+themselves as such. It is a pity that we should be obliged to consider
+fellow students as enemies!" Jerry continued with vehemence.<a class="pagenum" name="page_34" id="page_34" title="34"></a> "Why
+should petty spite be carried to the point where it is a menace to the
+whole college? An institution for the higher education of young girls in
+particular should be free of such ignobility."</p>
+
+<p>"Fights and fusses are not conducive to the cultivation of a scholarly
+mind," Helen Trent agreed with mock solemnity.</p>
+
+<p>"They are not," returned Leila, with a strong Celtic inflection of which
+she, in her earnestness, was entirely unconscious.</p>
+
+<p>Naturally it evoked laughter. Leila's occasional slight lapses into a
+brogue were invariably amusing to her chums.</p>
+
+<p>"Laugh at my brogue if you wish, I will not break your bones," she said
+good-humoredly, making use of an ancient Irish expression. "I am most
+Celtic when serious. Ah, well! Perhaps it is petty in us even to be
+discussing the Sans, since we can say nothing good of them."</p>
+
+<p>"That is their fault; not ours," Lucy Warner said incisively.</p>
+
+<p>"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in their stars, but in themselves,
+that they are underlings," Vera aptly applied with a change of pronouns.</p>
+
+<p>"Quite right, my child. They began it. Not one of us, before the
+Lookouts came here to Hamilton, raised a voice against the Sans. We know
+the Lookouts did not. This letter Leslie Cairns<a class="pagenum" name="page_35" id="page_35" title="35"></a> wrote to Jerry means
+war to the knife, all this year. Unless, by good fortune, Miss Remson
+has won her point and they are not to come back to the Hall. With them
+out of Wayland Hall we might hope for peace. Put them in other campus
+houses, they would soon lose track of you girls and turn their bad
+attentions to or on someone else. Miss Remson has a strong case against
+them on account of the way they treated Marjorie." Such was Helen's
+opinion.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie flushed at mention of the Sans' bad treatment of herself. She
+glanced at Ronny, who returned the glance with an enigmatical smile.
+Leila was staring at Marjorie, her face also a study.</p>
+
+<p>"Girls," Marjorie began, in her clear resonant enunciation, "I shall
+have to tell you something that only Ronny and Leila know. I told Leila
+only this afternoon. I asked Miss Remson not to mention the Sans'
+treatment of me in her complaint to the president. I had a long talk
+with her last June before college closed. I asked Ronny if she cared if
+I did so, because she had gone to the trouble of getting Miss Archer
+here and spared no pains to help me. All of you helped me, too, but
+Ronny and Miss Remson did the hardest part. Ronny said I must do
+whatever my conscience dictated. I felt that I did not wish to have
+anything to do with<a class="pagenum" name="page_36" id="page_36" title="36"></a> their leaving the Hall. If Miss Remson wins or has
+won her point against them, that's different. Last March, before we held
+the meeting in the living room, it seemed as if I could not endure being
+under the same roof with them. That feeling passed away. They were so
+utterly defeated. Miss Remson says she has enough insubordinate and
+really lawless acts on their part against them to warrant their being
+transferred to another campus house. She said it had been done
+occasionally in past years with beneficial results."</p>
+
+<p>"That means the Sans will be at the Hall again this year." Resentment
+burned briefly in Helen's eyes. Slow to anger, she was slower to
+forgive.</p>
+
+<p>"We don't know that yet," resumed Ronny. "All this happened last June.
+Miss Remson made her complaint then, I believe. She intended to, at any
+rate. Naturally, we could not ask her about the result, and she said
+nothing more about it before we went home. I think she will mention it
+to Marjorie and me. If she does we will ask if we may tell you girls who
+were interested in the affair of last March."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll know anyway, if the Sans appear bag and baggage," put in
+practical Lucy.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; but I mean Miss Remson will tell us the details," returned Ronny.</p>
+
+<p>"Wherever the Sans live on the campus, our best<a class="pagenum" name="page_37" id="page_37" title="37"></a> way is to go on about
+our own affairs regardless of them. I hate to think of Hamilton College
+as a battle ground. I will fight for my rights, if I must, but I will
+ignore a worthless enemy as long as I can. We must make our plans for a
+happier Hamilton, which does not include the Sans. We must create a
+spirit of unity here that will discount cliques." Marjorie argued with
+deep earnestness. "If we fight, shoulder to shoulder, for the best, in
+time we shall attain it. It's our influence that will count. It may not
+be felt at once; gradually it will be. We need not expect the Sans will
+change their views. We must put them in the background by being true and
+kindly and honorable. Then their false standards will count for
+nothing."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_38" id="page_38" title="38"></a>
+<a name="AN_INVITATION_TO_AN_OFFICE_PARTY_921" id="AN_INVITATION_TO_AN_OFFICE_PARTY_921"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+<h3>AN INVITATION TO AN "OFFICE PARTY."</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"I'm very, very sleepy, Jeremiah, but I shall try to keep awake for the
+chimes. It would be unkind not to greet my second friend tonight."
+Marjorie made these whimsical statements between yawns.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait for 'em, then, if you can," returned Jerry. "The minute my head
+touches the pillow I shall be dead to the world. You'll never keep
+awake. You are yawning now."</p>
+
+<p>"I shall," firmly avowed Marjorie. Tired out by the long railway
+journey, her eyes would close. Nevertheless she slipped into a silk
+negligee and curled up on the floor beside a window, to wait for the
+welcoming voice of her loved friend. The light in the room extinguished,
+the white moonlight touched her sweet face, lending it a new and wistful
+beauty. From her post at the window she could see Hamilton Hall, a
+magnificent gray pile in the moonbeams. The campus stretched away on all
+sides of it like an enchanted emerald carpet full of lights and
+shadows.<a class="pagenum" name="page_39" id="page_39" title="39"></a></p>
+
+<p>Marjorie momentarily forgot her desire for sleep as she looked on the
+silent loveliness which night had enhanced. It filled her with all sorts
+of vague inspirations which she could sense but not analyze. She could
+only understand herself as being earnestly desirous of showing greater
+loyalty to her Alma Mater than ever before.</p>
+
+<p>Then upon her inspirited musings fell the voice of her old, familiar
+friend, clear and silvery as ever. She sat very still, almost
+breathlessly, listening to the clarion, welcoming prelude. Followed the
+measured stroke of eleven. "I am so happy to hear you again, dear
+friend. Good night." Marjorie rose, and, with a last, sleepy, but
+loving, glance at the fairylike outdoors trotted to her couch bed. She
+had scarcely found its grateful comfort before she was fast asleep.</p>
+
+<p>She awoke the next morning with the sunshine pouring in upon her to find
+Jerry, kimono-clad, standing meditatively beside her couch.</p>
+
+<p>"Why&mdash;um&mdash;what&mdash;where&mdash;&mdash;" she mumbled. "Oh, goodness, Jerry! have I
+overslept? What time is it? That wall clock stopped last night just
+after we came in, and I forgot to wind it and set it again." She sat up
+hastily.</p>
+
+<p>"Be calm," replied Jerry, with a reassuring grin. "It is only five
+minutes to seven. I was wondering whether I could let you sleep fifteen
+minutes more.<a class="pagenum" name="page_40" id="page_40" title="40"></a> I'd decided to call you when you woke of your own
+accord."</p>
+
+<p>"I'd rather be up." Marjorie arose with her customary energy and reached
+for her negligee. "I have a lot to do today. Our trunks will be here by
+noon, I hope. I want to unpack and be all straightened out before the
+five o'clock train. Leila and Vera are anxious for us to go with them to
+meet it. We ought to meet it at any rate. We are both on the sophomore
+committee for welcoming freshies."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie made this reminder with open satisfaction. During Commencement
+week, the previous June, the sophomore class elect had gathered for a
+special meeting. Its object had been to discuss ways and means of
+helping entering freshmen at the re-opening of college in the fall.
+Marjorie and Jerry had been appointed to it as Wayland Hall
+representatives, together with two students from Acasia House and three
+from Silverton Hall.</p>
+
+<p>"I imagine we are the only ones on that committee who have come back to
+Hamilton," Marjorie continued. "Oh, no; Ethel Laird is on it. Let me
+see. Grace Dearborn was the other Acasia House girl appointed. Blanche
+Scott, Elaine Hunter and Miss Peyton were the three from Silverton Hall.
+Ronny said none of them had returned."</p>
+
+<p>"I am almost sorry I did not make arrangements<a class="pagenum" name="page_41" id="page_41" title="41"></a> to have a car here this
+year." Jerry looked slightly regretful. "It would come in handy now.
+Still, I believe it is more democratic to do without one. Besides, I
+ought to walk rather than ride. It keeps my weight down. There is Ronny.
+She could have a dozen cars here if she wanted them. She won't have one.
+She is a real democrat, isn't she?"</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie nodded. "She is the most unassuming very rich girl I have ever
+known. I think if the Sans really knew her circumstances they would try
+to take her up, even after what happened last spring."</p>
+
+<p>"They would give it up as too hard a job about five minutes after Ronny
+found out what they were trying to do," predicted Jerry. "I have an idea
+that the Sans think we don't amount to much financially. My father is
+worth a whole lot of money, yet it's not generally known in Sanford. He
+never tried to keep it a secret, but you see we have never gone in for
+anything but the quiet family life. So people don't think much about us,
+except that we are old Sanford residents."</p>
+
+<p>"That is a fine way to live," thoughtfully approved Marjorie. "Well, I
+couldn't afford to have a car here if I wanted one ever so much. The
+majority of the girls at Hamilton are probably from families in about
+the same circumstances as the Deans. Leila said yesterday that about a
+third of<a class="pagenum" name="page_42" id="page_42" title="42"></a> the girls here last year had their own automobiles. She said
+she would have been terribly lonely during her freshman year if she had
+not had her car. She didn't send for it for quite awhile after she
+entered college. Vera sent for hers, too, and hardly drove it. Most of
+the freshmen they were friendly with had their own cars, so they seldom
+needed to drive both cars at the same time."</p>
+
+<p>As she talked, Marjorie had been leisurely but steadily gathering up her
+toilet accessories preparatory to making her morning ablutions. Jerry,
+who stood idly watching her chum, suddenly realized that time was on the
+wing.</p>
+
+<p>"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "Here I stand like a dummy when I ought
+to be hiking for the lavatory myself. We'll both be late for breakfast,
+in spite of my early rising, if we stop to talk any longer. After
+breakfast we had better 'phone the baggage master about our trunks.
+Otherwise they may forget all about us and not deliver them before
+tomorrow. I haven't the trusting faith in baggage masters that I might
+have."</p>
+
+<p>In the lavatory they encountered Muriel and Ronny. Lucy had already
+preceded them and gone to pay Katherine a morning call. Presently the
+Five Travelers and Katherine trooped down the wide stairway to
+breakfast, their bright, youthful faces and clear, laughing tones
+lending new life to<a class="pagenum" name="page_43" id="page_43" title="43"></a> staid Wayland Hall. At the foot of the stairway
+they met Miss Remson and hailed her with a concerted "Good morning."</p>
+
+<p>Her small, shrewd eyes softened, as she received the gay salute with a
+smile and returned it. Her liking for this particular sextette of
+students was very sincere.</p>
+
+<p>"Girls," she began abruptly, her smile fading, to be replaced by an
+expression of sternness, "Will you come into my office after breakfast?
+I have something to show you and also something to tell you." Her lips
+tightened to grimness as she made this announcement. "That's all." With
+a little nod she passed them and hurried on up the staircase.</p>
+
+<p>As she had been busily engaged with the affairs of the Hall on their
+arrival of the preceding afternoon, they had had opportunity only to
+greet her and be assigned to their old rooms and places at table.</p>
+
+<p>Entering the dining room, Vera and Leila called "Good morning" from the
+next table to their own.</p>
+
+<p>"Be with you in a minute," Leila informed them. "I've something to
+report, Lieutenant." This directly to Marjorie. During the Easter visit
+she and Vera had made Marjorie, she had taken delightedly to the army
+idea as carried out by the Deans.<a class="pagenum" name="page_44" id="page_44" title="44"></a> Afterward she frequently addressed
+Marjorie as "Lieutenant."</p>
+
+<p>"I know what it is," promptly returned Jerry. "So have we. We just saw
+Miss Remson. Is that what you are driving at?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is. Now what shall I do to you for snapping my news from my mouth?"
+Leila asked severely.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe I don't know as much as you do, so you needn't feel grieved,"
+conciliated Jerry. "Come over here and we will compare notes. I may know
+something you don't know. You may know something I don't know. Think
+what a wonderful information session we shall have."</p>
+
+<p>Hurriedly finishing her coffee, Leila rose and joined the Lookouts. "I
+won't sit down," she declined, as Ronny motioned her to draw up a nearby
+chair. "Miss Remson asked Vera and I to stop at her office after
+breakfast."</p>
+
+<p>"She asked us, too. There, I took Jerry's news away from her. That pays
+up for what she did to you." Muriel glanced teasingly at Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, go as far as you like." Jerry waved an elaborately careless hand.
+"Like the race in Alice in Wonderland: 'All won.' Perhaps one of you
+wise women of Hamilton can tell us if anyone else is invited to Busy
+Buzzy's office party."</p>
+
+<p>"Silence was the answer," put in Marjorie mischievously,<a class="pagenum" name="page_45" id="page_45" title="45"></a> as no one
+essayed a reply to Jerry's satirical question.</p>
+
+<p>"Helen ought to be," Jerry said stoutly. "She was with us to the letter
+last spring. I guess she'll be there. Miss Remson is fond of her."</p>
+
+<p>One and all the eight girls were experiencing inward satisfaction at the
+summons to Miss Remson's office. Confident that it had to do with the
+readmittance or denial of the Sans to Wayland Hall, they were glad that
+the odd little manager had chosen to give them her confidence.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going over to the garage to see if the new tire is on my car. It
+blew out yesterday while I was driving it to cover after I left you
+girls. I'll be back by the time you girls have finished breakfast. Going
+with me, Midget?" Leila turned to Vera.</p>
+
+<p>"No, Ireland," she declined, with the little rippling smile which was
+one of her chief charms. "I am still hungry. I want another cup of
+coffee and a nice fat cinnamon bun. By the time I put them away you will
+be back."</p>
+
+<p>As Leila went out, Helen Trent appeared, a slightly sleepy look in her
+blue eyes. Her arrival was greeted with acclamation. Aside from Vera and
+Leila, the long pleasant dining room was empty of students when the
+Lookouts and Katherine had entered it. In consequence, they were more
+free to laugh and talk. The presence of the Sans in the<a class="pagenum" name="page_46" id="page_46" title="46"></a> room during
+meals quenched the spirit of comradarie that was so marked at Silverton
+Hall.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you seen Miss Remson?" was hurled at Helen in chorus. She dimpled
+engagingly and nodded her head.</p>
+
+<p>"I saw her last night after I left you girls. I had to have a new bulb
+for one of my lights."</p>
+
+<p>"Glad of it." Jerry beamed at Helen. She had not wished her junior
+friend left out of Miss Remson's confidence. "If she had not told you, I
+was going to ask her if you might be in on it," she assured.</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful old Jeremiah." Helen reached over from where she had paused
+beside the Lookouts' table and patted Jerry on the shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>"One might think you were addressing a valued family watch dog,"
+remarked Lucy Warner. Helen's dimples deepened. "You don't say much,
+Luciferous, but what you say is <i>amazin'</i>. I hadn't the slightest
+intention of ranking my respected pardner, Jeremiah, as an animal
+friend. With this apologetic explanation, I shall insist that you drop
+all such thoughts."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I did not say I thought so," calmly corrected Lucy. "I merely said,
+'One might think.'" Lucy's features were purposely austere. Her greenish
+eyes were dancing. Long since her chums had<a class="pagenum" name="page_47" id="page_47" title="47"></a> discovered that her sense
+of humor was as keen as her sense of criticism.</p>
+
+<p>Leila presently returned to find the breakfasters feasting on hot,
+old-fashioned cinnamon buns. These buns were a specialty at Wayland
+Hall, and, with coffee, were a tempting meal in themselves. Another ten
+minutes, and they left the dining-room en masse, bound for the little
+manager's office, there to learn what they might or might not expect
+from the Sans during the coming college year.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_48" id="page_48" title="48"></a>
+<a name="LETTER_NUMBER_TWO_1156" id="LETTER_NUMBER_TWO_1156"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+<h3>LETTER NUMBER TWO.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"Come in!" called a brisk, familiar voice, as Ronny knocked lightly on
+the almost closed door. Filing decorously into the rather small office,
+the nine girls grouped themselves about the manager's chair.</p>
+
+<p>"Take seats, friends," she invited. "Four of you can use the settee.
+There are chairs enough for the others. Will you see that the door is
+tightly closed, Helen. This matter is strictly confidential. It's rather
+early for eavesdroppers," she added, with biting sarcasm.</p>
+
+<p>"The door is closed, Miss Remson." Having complied with the manager's
+request, Helen seated herself beside Jerry on a wide walnut bench which
+took up almost a side of the room.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you. You know, my dear young friends," Miss Remson began, with
+out further preliminary, "that, last March, after Miss Dean's trouble
+with the Sans Soucians, I expressed myself as being heartily sick of
+their lawless behavior. I<a class="pagenum" name="page_49" id="page_49" title="49"></a> stated then that I should take up the matter
+with President Matthews. I believed he would respect my point of view. I
+had made up my mind that I did not wish them to return to the Hall this
+year. Wayland Hall is the oldest and finest house on the campus.
+Naturally, it is hard to obtain board here. I have been here longer than
+any other manager of any other Hamilton campus house. I have rarely made
+complaint against a student. Miss Dean was anxious that I should not put
+her case before President Matthews. I could only respect her wishes, as
+the matter was strictly personal. There were many other reasons why the
+Sans Soucians, as they call themselves, were undesirable boarders."</p>
+
+<p>Miss Remson ceased speaking momentarily, as she separated a letter from
+two or three others on her desk.</p>
+
+<p>"These girls, of whom I disapproved, made the usual application to
+retain their rooms. I made a list of the undesirables and went over to
+the president's house to have a confidential talk with him. I have known
+him and his family for years. Unfortunately, he was not at home. He had
+been invited to make an address at the Commencement of Newbold, a
+western college for women, and would be away for a week. As his return
+would be so near Commencement here, I decided to write him and ask for an
+early appointment. I wrote to him as<a class="pagenum" name="page_50" id="page_50" title="50"></a> soon as he returned. He answered
+my note personally and made an appointment with me.</p>
+
+<p>"I laid my complaint before him," she continued, "and he was indignant
+at the way I had been treated. He asked me to leave with him the names
+of the young women against whom I had made complaint. He promised they
+should be reprimanded by him and notified to make other arrangements for
+this college year. Further, they would also be warned that any new
+complaints against them from another manager would mean a second summons
+to his office, with a more severe penalty attached.</p>
+
+<p>"I waited, expecting a storm when these girls received their
+notification and learned what I had done. I had not given them an answer
+regarding their rooms for next year, as I was waiting for Doctor
+Matthews to act. Judge my surprise when, five days after I had talked
+with the doctor, I received a cool note, dictated to his secretary,
+stating that he was inclosing a typed copy of a letter which he had
+received. He went on to say that, as there seemed to be as much
+complaint against me, by the young women of whom I had complained, he
+would suggest that we get together and try to adjust the matter at the
+Hall. He believed that the course I had requested him to pursue would
+result in such useless ill-feeling that he preferred not to adopt it.<a class="pagenum" name="page_51" id="page_51" title="51"></a>
+He had no doubt that an internal friction, such as appeared to exist at
+Wayland Hall, could be easily adjusted by me, if I adopted the proper
+methods. He wished the subject closed."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, that isn't a bit like Doctor Matthews!" exclaimed Helen. "He has
+the reputation of being a stickler for justice."</p>
+
+<p>"My dear, I know it," replied Miss Remson, in a hurt voice. "I felt
+utterly crushed after I had read his note. There was nothing more to be
+done unless I resigned. I did not wish to do so. I have every right to
+retain my position here. It is my living and I do a great deal for my
+sister's two sons, whom I am helping put through college. The copy of
+the letter, inclosed with the president's note, was written by Miss
+Myers. I shall read it to you verbatim."</p>
+
+<p>Unfolding the copied letter which she held in her hand, she hastily read
+the formal heading then went on more slowly:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Doctor Matthews:</span></p>
+
+<p>"It has been intimated us that we are not to be granted the privilege of
+remaining at Wayland Hall during our junior year. We understand the
+reason for this injustice and wish you to understand it also. Miss
+Remson, the manager of the Hall, has taken sides with a certain few
+students in the<a class="pagenum" name="page_52" id="page_52" title="52"></a> house who have a fancied grudge against a number of
+young women whose interests I am now representing. Miss Remson has
+allowed these students to place us in the most humiliating of positions;
+has even aided and abetted them in putting us in a false light. She has
+also reprimanded us frequently for offenses of which we are not guilty.
+We are willing to overlook all this and try even more earnestly in
+future to please Miss Remson. This, in spite of the harsh way in which
+we have been treated by all concerned. We are not willing to leave the
+Hall. We came here to live as freshmen and we object to being thrust
+from it after two years' residence in it. We have been given to
+understand that complaint against us is to be lodged with you by Miss
+Remson. Will you not take up the matter summarily with her and see that
+we obtain justice?</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:right'>"Yours sincerely,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
+"<span class="smcap">Joan Myers</span>."</p></div>
+
+<p>A united gasp arose as Miss Remson finished the reading of Joan Myers'
+letter and laid it on the desk.</p>
+
+<p>"Can you beat that?" inquired Jerry, in such deep disgust everyone
+laughed. "Of all the cast-iron, nickle-plated nerve, commend me to the
+Sans."</p>
+
+<p>"Outrageous!" Leila's black brows were drawn in a deep scowl. "And they
+are clever, too," she<a class="pagenum" name="page_53" id="page_53" title="53"></a> nodded with conviction. "That letter is the kind
+a man of Doctor Matthews' standing detests. It gives the whole affair
+the air of a school-girl quarrel. Very hard on your dignity, Miss
+Remson," she glanced sympathetically at the little manager.</p>
+
+<p>"Not only that. I am practically cut off from my old friendly standing
+with the president." Miss Remson's usually quick tones faltered
+slightly. "I would not appeal to him for justice again if these lawless
+girls brought the Hall down about my ears. You can understand my
+position."</p>
+
+<p>She appealed to her youthful hearers In general. "It was my belief that
+you should be told this by me, as I had assured you last spring that I
+would not have these trouble-making, untruthful students at the Hall
+this year, if I could help it. They are coming back wholly against my
+will. We were into Commencement week last June when this occurred, so I
+said nothing to any of you. It would have been an annoyance to you
+during the summer every time you happened to recall it."</p>
+
+<p>"Who told the Sans that you weren't going to allow them to come back to
+the Hall?" was Marjorie's pertinent question. "I can answer for every
+one of us in saying that we never repeated a word outside of our own
+intimate circle."</p>
+
+<p>"That is a question I have pondered more than once during the summer,"
+Miss Remson responded<a class="pagenum" name="page_54" id="page_54" title="54"></a> with alacrity. "I did not suspect one of you for
+an instant. I do not see how anyone could have overheard the remarks I
+made on the subject, as I made them in this office with the door always
+closed. President Matthews is, of course, above suspicion. His secretary
+would not dare repeat his official business, even to an intimate friend.
+I mailed my letter to the president. It went through the postoffice.
+This precludes the possibility of it having been tampered with."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps the Sans guessed that you would refuse them admittance to the
+Hall this year because you called the meeting in the living room," was
+Muriel's plausible surmise. "You had had a good deal of trouble with
+them and they knew they were in the wrong; that you disapproved of them.
+They may have scented disaster and taken the bull by the horns. They
+calculated, perhaps, that you might appeal to President Matthews and
+thought they would secure themselves by reporting us and accusing you of
+favoritism."</p>
+
+<p>"That would be typical of the Sans," agreed Leila energetically. "Not so
+much Leslie Cairns. She bribes and bullies her way to whatever she
+wants. Joan Myers wrote the letter. She is considered very clever among
+her crowd. She may have made the plan. Dulcie Vale is too stupid and Nat
+Weyman is wrapped up in herself."<a class="pagenum" name="page_55" id="page_55" title="55"></a></p>
+
+<p>"A clever letter, contemptible though it is," pronounced Veronica. "The
+writer has put a certain amount of force in it which passes for
+sincerity."</p>
+
+<p>"It reads as though she had been informed that Miss Remson was going to
+turn the Sans down and was honestly sore over it." Jerry added her
+speculation to Ronny's.</p>
+
+<p>"It is too bad!" exclaimed Helen Trent, indignantly. "I mean for you,
+Miss Remson. You can soon find out for yourself whether they simply
+guessed you were down on them or really had information. When the Sans
+come back to the Hall, if they are snippy and insolent from the start,
+that will mean, I think, that they had warning of it. If they are rather
+subdued and fairly civil, for them, then they only made a daring bluff
+and are not sure, up to date, whether their suspicion was correct."</p>
+
+<p>"Great head!" laughingly complimented Jerry. "There is nothing the mater
+with Helen's reasoning powers."</p>
+
+<p>Miss Remson nodded slowly as she considered Helen's words. "That is very
+likely the way it will be," she said. "The matter will have to remain
+closed, because President Matthews wishes it to be so. I shall not adopt
+his suggestion of a personal talk with these girls." A glint of
+belligerence appeared in her eyes. "I have been here at the Hall many
+years and seen many young women come and<a class="pagenum" name="page_56" id="page_56" title="56"></a> go. I am not a bad judge of
+girl character and motive. It will not take me long to fathom these
+girls' deceit in this affair, if the letter Miss Myers wrote was based
+on supposition. If, in some unprecedented manner, they really received
+information, then they must have learned the outcome of the affair from
+the same source. All I can do is to remain mute on the subject. They
+will, undoubtedly, ridicule me behind my back. If they attempt to
+belittle me to my face, I shall resign my position here." The humiliated
+little manager's lips compressed into a tight line.</p>
+
+<p>"I think the whole business is shameful; simply shameful!" burst forth
+Vera, her blue eyes flashing. "Imagine President Matthews taking such an
+extremely unjust stand!"</p>
+
+<p>"It is too bad you cannot go to him and have the matter out with him.
+No; I understand that you wouldn't, under the circumstances," Jerry
+added quickly, as Miss Remson made a hasty gesture of dissent. "I
+wouldn't either, if I were you."</p>
+
+<p>"I believe there is more to this than appears on the surface," Marjorie
+gave steady opinion. "We hardly know President Matthews, as we were
+merely freshies last year. Still he seems to be such a fine man. A man
+in his position ought to be above anything even touching on injustice."</p>
+
+<p>"There you are! 'Seems to be,' and 'ought to<a class="pagenum" name="page_57" id="page_57" title="57"></a> be,'" repeated Leila
+cynically. "May I ask you, Miss Remson, do you know the signature to the
+president's letter to you to be by his own hand? I would not hesitate to
+set a trumped-up letter down to the Sans' mischief-making bureau."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; it is President Matthews' signature; unmistakably his," answered
+Miss Remson. "I am satisfied Doctor Matthews wrote the letter. It is
+written much as he would write if he were thoroughly annoyed. Neither
+Miss Myers nor her friends could write it. You spoke of there being more
+to this than appears on the surface, Miss Dean. Pardon me for
+disagreeing. I hardly think so."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie never forgot the hurt look that crept into the manager's
+usually cheerful face as she bravely disagreed. It was as though she had
+caught a glimpse of the plucky little woman's grieving soul. She
+realized that Miss Remson had found it hard to give even them her
+confidence. She guessed also that the manager would be grateful if left
+to herself.</p>
+
+<p>"I know what it means to feel dreadfully hurt over something untrue that
+has been said of one, Miss Remson," she consoled in her sincere,
+gracious fashion. "That's the way it was with me last March. Thanks to
+my friends, the clouds blew away and the sun came out again. We are your
+true friends, and we would like to do as much for you<a class="pagenum" name="page_58" id="page_58" title="58"></a> as we know you
+have done for me, and would do for any of us who needed your support. We
+solemnly promise," she went on, turning to her chums for corroboration,
+"to regard your confidence as binding. Not one of us will forget the
+hurt that has been dealt you. We shall do our best to make it easier for
+you at the Hall by keeping clear of the Sans."</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Remson, I feel positive that Doctor Matthews will realize, later,
+what a serious mistake he has made. Sometimes the very finest men make
+just such blunders because they are irritated by something else
+entirely." Katherine spoke with deep conviction. "I acted as secretary
+one summer to a naturalist who was of that type."</p>
+
+<p>"There is one thing I intend to do." Lucy Warner spoke for the first
+time since entering the office. She had listened with the gravity and
+attention of a judge to all that had been said. "I shall make it a point
+to see what President Matthews' secretary looks like. A secretary has a
+good deal of opportunity to make trouble, if she chooses to make it. She
+knows so much of her employer's private affairs. I've been a secretary
+long enough to tell you that. She might have quietly told the Sans of
+Miss Remson's letter to the president, asking for an interview."</p>
+
+<p>"But, my dear child, I did not mention the object<a class="pagenum" name="page_59" id="page_59" title="59"></a> of my interview in my
+note to President Matthews," declared the manager. "The secretary would
+have nothing to tell these girls of any moment. She would naturally
+attach no importance to such a letter."</p>
+
+<p>"That is true." Lucy looked abashed for an instant. Her old shyness
+seemed about to settle down on her. She cast it off and sat up very
+straight, her green eyes gleaming with her initial purpose. "I believe I
+will look her up, at any rate. She might be a friend of the Sans."</p>
+
+<p>"Hardly," differed Muriel. "The Sans don't make a friend of a girl under
+the million mark, Lucy."</p>
+
+<p>"Unless it happens to suit their purpose," flatly contradicted Lucy,
+with no intent to be rude. "They are the very persons who would pretend
+friendship with a poor girl if they thought she would be useful to them.
+There are girls who would feel highly flattered to be taken up by them.
+I can't pass opinion upon this secretary until I have seen her. Perhaps
+not until I have seen her a number of times."</p>
+
+<p>"Luciferous Warniferous, the world's great private investigator."
+Despite the seriousness of the occasion, Muriel could not refrain from
+venturing this pleasantry.</p>
+
+<p>"You needn't make fun of me." Lucy laughed<a class="pagenum" name="page_60" id="page_60" title="60"></a> with the others. "It won't
+do any harm, at least, to view her from afar."</p>
+
+<p>"I thank you all for your interest in me and for your promise." Miss
+Remson surveyed the group of youthful sympathizers through a slight
+mist. "Don't keep this in mind, girls," she counseled. "It is better
+forgotten. I shall try to get along with this disagreeable flock of
+students with the least possible friction. If they take advantage of
+this victory, which they have gained unfairly, and attempt to override
+my authority at the Hall, I shall resign at once."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_61" id="page_61" title="61"></a>
+<a name="THE_GENUS_FRESHMAN_1451" id="THE_GENUS_FRESHMAN_1451"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+<h3>THE GENUS "FRESHMAN."</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Leaving the manager's office, soon afterward, the nine girls would have
+liked nothing better than to repair to one of their rooms and discuss
+the subject of Miss Remson's grievances at length. All had the liveliest
+sympathy for the kindly official and longed to do something to prove it.
+Unfortunately, nearly all of them had work to do or engagements to keep.
+The Sanford contingent had their trunks to unpack as soon as they should
+arrive. They hoped that would be very soon. Katherine had made an
+engagement with Lillian Wenderblatt to go for a long walk. Leila and
+Vera were going to drive to the town of Hamilton to buy the where-withal
+for a spread to be given that evening in honor of Nella and Selma, who
+were expected on the five o'clock train. Helen being the only one with
+time on her hands, Leila advised her to join them on their quest for the
+most toothsome "eats."</p>
+
+<p>Contrary to Jerry's wet-blanket and extravagant<a class="pagenum" name="page_62" id="page_62" title="62"></a> prediction that the
+trunks would probably be delivered "around midnight," they arrived
+shortly before eleven o'clock, and an industrious season of unpacking
+set in. Determined to finish arranging their effects before four
+o'clock, they labored at the task with commendable energy and speed,
+stopping only for luncheon, which was eaten in some haste.</p>
+
+<p>"We certainly have hustled," Jerry congratulated, as she lifted the last
+remaining articles from the bottom of one of her two trunks and found
+place for them in her chiffonier. "I'm glad the job is done. We shall
+have lots of time to take it easy. Here it is, only Wednesday. College
+doesn't open officially until next Tuesday. We have nearly a week to
+ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll begin today to look after the freshies," planned Marjorie. "Then
+we must meet one train a day, if not two, until we are not needed any
+longer. I shall stick rigidly to that work on account of the welcome we
+were cheated of last September."</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to wear to the train this afternoon?" Jerry
+inquired, critically inspecting two or three frocks she had laid out on
+her couch bed. She was uncertain which one to wear.</p>
+
+<p>"That one." Marjorie nodded toward a chair over which hung a one-piece
+frock of fine white linen. "I think white looks nicest when one is<a class="pagenum" name="page_63" id="page_63" title="63"></a>
+going to the station. I love to wear my white dresses as late in the
+fall as I can."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I'll wear white, too." Jerry immediately selected a pretty
+lingerie gown and sighed relief to have that matter off her mind. "I am
+going the rounds and tell the gang to wear white, by order of the Board
+of Suitable Suits for Auspicious Occasions. Back in a minute."</p>
+
+<p>Glancing at the clock, which showed ten minutes past four, Marjorie
+hurriedly slipped out of the pink gingham dress she had been wearing and
+took the white linen frock from the chair. She had been making leisurely
+preparations for the trip to the station while Jerry finished unpacking.</p>
+
+<p>"I can plainly see my finish." Jerry presently entered the room with a
+bounce, seized a towel from the washstand and bounced out again. She
+returned as breezily within a few minutes and continued her toilet at
+the same rate of speed. Leila had said: "Not one minute later than
+four-thirty," and Jerry did not propose to be left behind.</p>
+
+<p>"Are the rest of the crowd going to wear white?" Marjorie asked, giving
+her wealth of curly hair a final touch before the mirror.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; but it's just a happen-so. Most of them were dressed for the
+auspicious occasion when I arrived on the scene. Their suits were
+suitable, so I beat it back here in a hurry. Please tie my sash<a class="pagenum" name="page_64" id="page_64" title="64"></a> for me,
+Marjorie, while I labor some more with my aggravating hair. I swear I
+will have it cropped like Robin Page's."</p>
+
+<p>"She'll have hers done up when she comes back," commented Marjorie,
+deftly complying with Jerry's request. "It was almost long enough to do
+up last June and she was proud of it."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope Robin comes in on the five o'clock train. I'd like to see her.
+Next to Helen, I like her best of the Hamiltonites."</p>
+
+<p>The entrance of Ronny, also in white linen, with the information that
+Muriel and Lucy had gone on down stairs to the veranda, cut short
+Jerry's remarks. The three girls reached the veranda at precisely
+four-thirty, to find Leila's and Vera's cars on the drive in readiness
+to start.</p>
+
+<p>Through the glory of late afternoon sunlight the two cars, each with its
+winsome freight of white-gowned girls, sped down the smooth pike past
+beautiful Hamilton Estates and on toward the station. Happy in the fact
+that she was now so perfectly at home at Hamilton, Marjorie smiled as
+she compared last year with the present. Yes; it was good to be a
+sophomore. Her new estate stretched invitingly before her. It was all so
+very different from the previous September. The splendor of the sunlit
+sky and the warm fragrance of the light breeze seemed indicative of
+pleasant days to come.<a class="pagenum" name="page_65" id="page_65" title="65"></a> Because she had missed a welcome on her arrival
+at Hamilton, she was ready to welcome doubly some other freshman
+stranger within Hamilton's gates.</p>
+
+<p>"Train 16, late, 40 minutes," was the dampening information which stared
+them in the face from the station bulletin board.</p>
+
+<p>"Forty minutes! Who cares to eat ice cream? Back into the buzz wagons,
+all of you. I like the taste of ice cream in my mouth better than the
+feel of those station boards under my feet for a long stretch of forty
+minutes. We can go to the Ivy, that little white shop on Linden Avenue.
+It is only two blocks from the station. We shall have time and to
+spare."</p>
+
+<p>Leila called the latter part of her remarks over her shoulder.
+Immediately she had read the notice she turned and started for the
+station yard. Her companions followed her with alacrity. They were no
+more in favor than she of a tedious wait on the platform for a belated
+train.</p>
+
+<p>"One of us had better call time," wisely suggested Helen, as they
+flocked into the pretty white and green tea room. "Otherwise we are
+likely to overstay our limit. We must be out of here ten minutes before
+the train is due. You had better, Luciferous. You are infallible."</p>
+
+<p>"Much obliged." A faint pink crept into Lucy's fair pale skin. Lucy was
+secretly proud of her own<a class="pagenum" name="page_66" id="page_66" title="66"></a> reliability. Turning her pretty gold wrist
+watch on her wrist so that she could see the face of it, she watched it
+with an eager eye from then on. The watch had been a gift to her from
+Ronny the previous Christmas, and was her most valued possession.</p>
+
+<p>Fortune favored them with prompt service on the part of a waitress. They
+had only comfortably finished their ice cream, however, when Lucy
+announced that it was time to go. Returning to the station platform,
+they found only a sprinkling of students awaiting the coming train.</p>
+
+<p>"What has become of Ethel Laird, I wonder?" asked Jerry. "I hope she
+hasn't forgotten she is on this welcoming committee. Suppose about
+twenty or thirty freshmen stepped off the five o'clock train. It would
+keep Marjorie and me busy chasing up and down this old board walk
+handing out welcomes."</p>
+
+<p>"Now where do you suppose we would be during that time?" demanded Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you would be a help, undoubtedly," conceded Jerry, with a boyish
+grin. "I forgot about you folks. I was merely thinking of us from our
+committee standpoint. We'll have to guess whether these arrivals are
+freshies or not. I don't know all the Hamilton students and where they
+belong. It will be about my speed to walk up to some timid-looking
+damsel and gallantly offer my assistance only to find out she is a proud
+and lofty senior."<a class="pagenum" name="page_67" id="page_67" title="67"></a></p>
+
+<p>"There are few faces at Hamilton which I don't know," Leila assured.
+"Behave well and stick to me and I'll promise you will not do anything
+foolish. I can pick a freshie from afar off."</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Remson told me yesterday that she understood there were one
+hundred and ten freshmen applications this year," said Katherine. "We
+are to have three freshies at Wayland Hall."</p>
+
+<p>"One hundred and ten democrats would help our cause along," remarked
+Lucy. "Only we need not expect any such miracle."</p>
+
+<p>"With the start we now have, if even half of the freshmen were for
+college equality, it would be a hard blow to the Sans. I wish it might
+be like that." Vera clasped her bits of hands, an unconsciously pretty
+fashion of hers when she earnestly desired something to come to pass.</p>
+
+<p>"The Sans will fight for every inch of the ground this year. See if they
+don't," Katherine Langly spoke with half bitter conviction. "Do you think
+for an instant that they will sit still and see democracy win? Leslie
+Cairns loves power. Joan Myers is determined to have her own way.
+Natalie Weymain is vain. Dulcie Vale is vindictive. Evangeline Heppler
+and Adelaide Forman are thoroughly disagreeable. Margaret Wayne is
+malicious and scandalously untruthful. There! That is my candid<a class="pagenum" name="page_68" id="page_68" title="68"></a> opinion
+of those seven students. I have always longed to express it."</p>
+
+<p>"I see you have found your tongue. I congratulate you." Leila beamed
+approval of such refreshing frankness on the part of quiet little
+Katherine.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better enter a conspiracy to spend our spare time rushing
+freshies," proposed Helen. "When they are with us they will be out of
+mischief."</p>
+
+<p>"First catch your hare," advised Muriel. "Maybe the freshies would not
+take kindly to the continuous round of pleasure we arranged for them. I
+don't believe there is any one infallible method of winning them over."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I wasn't serious," Helen said, with her roguish, indolent smile.
+"While I don't object to helping the great cause along, I am not
+yearning to become a polite entertainer. I'd probably be a most impolite
+one before the end of a week, if I had to rush freshies as a steady
+task. I am afraid few of them would turn out to be as amiable,
+beautiful, jolly, delightful, agreeable and companionable as good old
+Jeremiah here."</p>
+
+<p>"An awful waste of adjectives," was Jerry's terse reception of this
+extravagant tribute to herself. "Here comes the train." Despite her lack
+of sentiment, she flashed Helen a smile of comradeship.</p>
+
+<p>The belated express thundered into the station<a class="pagenum" name="page_69" id="page_69" title="69"></a> with a force which shook
+the platform. Instinctively the scattered groups of persons on the
+platform drew back a trifle as the first three coaches shot past. It was
+a long train and it did not take more than a second glance down its
+length to note that the last coach was quite different from the others.</p>
+
+<p>"Private car!" Leila's low exclamation held more than surprise. It was
+sarcastically significant. "Behold the Philistines are upon us," she
+continued in pretended consternation.</p>
+
+<p>"We needn't mind a little thing like that," Jerry assured with a genial
+smile. "They won't be met and fussed over by us. I wonder where the mob
+is who ought to be at the station to greet these celebrated geese?"</p>
+
+<p>"They certainly chose a poor day for a triumphal return." Muriel
+indulged in a soft chuckle at the Sans' expense. She broke off in the
+middle of it with a jubilant cry of, "Girls; there's Hortense just
+getting off the train three coaches up the platform!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hooray! Nella and Selma are with her!" This from Leila, whose eyes had
+picked up dignified Hortense Barlow descending the car steps immediately.
+Muriel had cried out. Following her were the two juniors of whom Leila
+and Vera were so fond.</p>
+
+<p>The unwelcome Sans entirely forgotten, Leila, Muriel and Vera headed an
+orderly rush up the<a class="pagenum" name="page_70" id="page_70" title="70"></a> platform. All of the station party were anxious to
+give the three juniors a hearty reception. Marjorie and Ronny happened
+to be the last of the little procession. The former bore in mind her
+chief object in coming-to the station and kept a sharp lookout for
+freshmen.</p>
+
+<p>Just as they reached the edge of the group which had closed in about the
+three arrivals, Marjorie's searching eyes spied a small, flaxen-haired
+young woman with wide-opened blue eyes and a babyish expression, coming
+toward her. The latter was burdened with a heavy seal traveling case and
+a bag of golf sticks. She had evidently emerged from the coach behind
+the one from which Nella and her two companions had come. As she
+advanced, she gazed about her with a slightly perplexed air.</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon me." Marjorie had stepped instantly to her side. "Are you a
+freshman? I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class, and hope I can be
+of service to you. I am one of a sophomore committee to welcome arriving
+freshmen."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, thank you. Delighted, I'm sure, to know you, Miss Dean." The
+newcomer's conventionally courteous tone conveyed no particular
+enthusiasm. "Yes; I am a freshman. At least, I hope so. I have one exam.
+to try. I flunked in geometry at the prep school I attended last year.
+Had a tutor all summer. Guess I'll scrape through this time."<a class="pagenum" name="page_71" id="page_71" title="71"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I hope you will," Marjorie made sincere return. She half offered a hand
+to the other girl. The latter did not appear to see it. She clung
+tightly to her bag of golf sticks and traveling case. Far from paying
+undivided attention to Marjorie, her wide blue eyes roved over the
+platform, the light of curiosity strong within them.</p>
+
+<p>"Hamilton must be a slow old college if it can't show more of a station
+mob than this," she remarked, almost disdainfully. "I mean it must be
+rather well&mdash;humdrum. I was at Welden Prep last year. It is a mighty
+lively school. It takes the Welden girls to properly mob the station.
+Oh, we were a gay crowd, I can tell you! Awfully select, you know, but
+really full of life."</p>
+
+<p>"You will find Hamilton lively enough, I believe. It is early yet. A few
+of us are back earlier than usual. Not more than a fifth of the students
+have returned yet." Marjorie's tone was kindly. She made a patient
+effort to keep reserve out of it. Her first impression of the
+dissatisfied freshman was not pleasing.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I see, I am glad there is hope." The girl gave a vacant little
+laugh. "I do so hate anything slow or poky or stupid. I had supposed
+Hamilton to be very smart and exclusive, or I wouldn't have chosen to
+come here."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a very fine college. There is no better<a class="pagenum" name="page_72" id="page_72" title="72"></a> faculty in the country,
+and the college itself is ideally located. You cannot help but love the
+campus. At which house are you to live?" Marjorie chose not to discuss
+Hamilton from the freshman's point of view.</p>
+
+<p>"Alston Terrace. Is it an interesting house to live in? Where do you
+live? Are the garage accommodations good? I shall have my own car here;
+perhaps two. How far is it from the station to the campus?"</p>
+
+<p>The stranger hurled these questions at Marjorie all in a breath. The
+latter's inclination toward secret vexation increased rather than
+diminished. Her freshman find was showing somewhat Sans-like tendencies.</p>
+
+<p>"All the campus houses are interesting. I live at Wayland Hall. There
+are several garages in the vicinity of the college. It is about two
+miles from the station to Hamilton. If you will come with me, I will
+introduce you to some of my friends. A number of us came to the station
+together; some of us to meet friends expected on this train. Miss Macy,
+my room-mate, and myself are on the committee. Let me help you with your
+luggage."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie deftly possessed herself of the bag of golf sticks which the
+freshman now surrendered willingly, and led the way to the part of the
+platform<a class="pagenum" name="page_73" id="page_73" title="73"></a> where her companions had gathered around the three juniors.</p>
+
+<p>"Here she is!" exclaimed Vera, as she approached. "Aha! Now I know why
+you left us all of a sudden!" She smiled winningly at Marjorie's
+companion, who allowed the barest flicker of a smile to touch her
+slightly pouting lips.</p>
+
+<p>"Girls, I would like you to meet Miss&mdash;&mdash;" Marjorie stopped, her color
+rising. The stranger had not volunteered her name at the time when
+Marjorie had introduced herself. She turned to the freshman with an
+apologetic smile. "Will you tell me your name?" she asked pleasantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, certainly. My name is Elizabeth Walbert." As she spoke her restless
+eyes began an appraisement of the group of girls whom Marjorie had
+addressed.</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Walbert, this is Miss Mason, Miss Lynne, Miss Harper&mdash;&mdash;" Marjorie
+presented her friends in turn to the newcomer, then said: "Please make
+Miss Walbert feel at home among us, while I greet our famous juniors."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, we knew you wouldn't forget your little friends," laughed Selma,
+"particularly the Swedish dwarf." Selma, who stood five feet nine, had
+bestowed this name upon herself, she being the tallest of the four girls
+who had chummed together since their enrollment at Hamilton.<a class="pagenum" name="page_74" id="page_74" title="74"></a></p>
+
+<p>Having warmly welcomed the trio, Marjorie realized Jerry was missing.
+She glanced quickly up and down the platform in search of her. She
+finally spied her coming down the platform with a plainly-dressed girl
+whose pale face, under a brown sailor hat, bore the unmistakable stamp
+of the student. In one hand she carried a small black utility bag of
+very shiny material. The other hand grasped the handle of a large straw
+suitcase. Jerry carried the mate to it. Her plump face registered
+nothing but polite attention to what her companion was saying. She was
+marching her freshman along, however, at a fair rate of speed. Not so
+far to their rear the Sans had detrained. Their high-pitched talk and
+laughter could be heard the length of the platform, as they gathered up
+their luggage and prepared to march on Hamilton. Jerry proposed to be
+safely in the bosom of her friends with her find before that march
+began.</p>
+
+<p>"Come along, children. Let's be going. The choo-choo cars are getting
+ready to choo-choo right along to the next station. Look as I may, I see
+no more arriving freshies&mdash;except the one Jeremiah is now towing toward
+us." Leila added this as she saw Jerry. "We'll delay our going in honor
+of the freshie."</p>
+
+<p>Next instant Jerry had joined them and was introducing Miss Towne, of
+Omaha, Nebraska, as the<a class="pagenum" name="page_75" id="page_75" title="75"></a> stranger had shyly declared herself. Amidst the
+crowd of dainty, white-gowned girls, she looked not unlike a dingy
+little brown wren. Miss Walbert eyed her with growing disapproval and
+gave her a perfunctory nod of the head. Immediately she turned her
+attention to the on-coming Sans whom she had already noticed. Her face
+brightened visibly as she watched them. While she had reluctantly
+decided that her new acquaintances were as well dressed as she, and
+carried themselves as though of social importance, their kindly
+reception of a girl who was clearly a dig and a nobody displeased her.
+The very manner in which the other group of girls were advancing made
+strong appeal to her. They were more the type she had known at Welden.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie felt an imperative tug at her arm. "Who are those girls? They
+came from that private car. They are so much like my dear pals at
+Welden." Elizabeth Walbert's babyish features were alive with animation.</p>
+
+<p>"They are juniors. I have met a few of them. I can't really say that I
+have an acquaintance with any of them." Marjorie could think of nothing
+else to say of the Sans. She did not care to go into detail regarding
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"We go down those steps over there to reach the yard where two of my
+friends have parked their<a class="pagenum" name="page_76" id="page_76" title="76"></a> cars," she continued, with intended change of
+subject. Her companions were already moving toward the flight of stone
+steps. Miss Walbert still stood watching the approaching company of
+smartly-dressed girls.</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon me. What did you say?" The absorbed freshman spoke without
+looking at Marjorie. "I think I have met one or two of those girls.
+Summer before last, at Newport, I met a Miss Myers and a Miss Stephens.
+We had quite a lot of fun together one afternoon at a tennis tournament.
+Yes, I am sure those are the same girls. I met them afterward at a
+dinner dance."</p>
+
+<p>By this time the party had come within a few feet of where Marjorie and
+her annoying freshman find were standing. Marjorie felt the warm color
+flood her cheeks as a battery of unfriendly eyes was turned upon her.
+Her chums had already disappeared down the stairway, unaware that she
+had been left behind. She could hardly have conceived of a more
+disagreeable situation. Miss Walbert, however, was quite in her element.
+She had done precisely what she had intended to do.</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me, I must really speak to my friends. I'll probably go on to
+the college with them. Thank you so much."</p>
+
+<p>With this Miss Walbert stepped hurriedly forward and addressed Joan
+Myers. "How do you<a class="pagenum" name="page_77" id="page_77" title="77"></a> do? You are Miss Myers whom I met at the Newport
+tennis tournament, I believe. So surprised to see you here and so
+pleased."</p>
+
+<p>Joan Myers stared hard at the speaker before replying. She recognized
+her as the girl she had met at Newport on the occasion mentioned. She
+also recalled the second meeting at the dance and acted accordingly.</p>
+
+<p>"How are you?" she returned affably, extending her hand. "Of course I
+remember you. Strange I can't recall your name. I met you at the Newport
+tournament and afterward at Mrs. Barry Symonds' dance. Are you going to
+enter Hamilton? So pleased, I am sure. Won't you join our party? You
+seem to be&mdash;er&mdash;well out of your proper element." Joan added this with
+insulting intent.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie had stepped back as Miss Walbert had stepped forward. Her first
+impulse, in consideration of the cavalier dismissal she had received,
+had been to turn and walk away. Courtesy prompted her to wait a moment,
+thus making sure the freshman was accepted as an acquaintance by Joan
+Myers and Harriet Stephens. She had barely turned away as she heard Joan
+Myers say, "Won't you join our party?" She could, therefore, hardly help
+hearing the remark which followed.</p>
+
+<p>She went without attempting even a farewell nod.<a class="pagenum" name="page_78" id="page_78" title="78"></a> She was not hurt over
+the ill-bred manner in which she had been treated. She was disgusted
+with the other girl's utter shallowness. She was also visited by a sense
+of dull disappointment. Hurrying to overtake her own party, she
+discovered she was still carrying the freshman's golf bag. In the
+annoyance of the moment she had forgotten all about it. Bravely she
+decided to return it at once and have it off her hands immediately. She
+was half way down the steps when she made this resolve. She quickly
+remounted the stairs. From the top step she could see the Sans, standing
+where she had left them. Four or five juniors whom she had seen on the
+platform before the train came in, were with them now.</p>
+
+<p>"Is this the way to the station yard?" inquired a soft little voice at
+her elbow. "Can I get a taxi there that will take me to Hamilton
+College?"</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie turned quickly to meet the questioning gaze of two velvety
+black eyes. The owner of the soft voice and black eyes was a girl no
+taller than Vera. She had a small, straight nose and a red bud of a
+mouth. Her hair, under the gray sports hat which matched her suit, was a
+blue black, so soft as to be almost feathery. As she surveyed the pretty
+stranger, Marjorie's recent pang of disappointment left her. Here, at
+least, was a freshman more after her own heart.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_79" id="page_79" title="79"></a>
+<a name="THE_SANS_NEW_RECRUIT_1888" id="THE_SANS_NEW_RECRUIT_1888"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+<h3>THE SANS' NEW RECRUIT.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"If you will wait just a moment or two I will show you the way to the
+station yard. I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class. I am down here
+today purposely to help incoming freshmen. I had one in tow a few
+minutes ago, but she met some acquaintances of hers and joined them. I
+carried off her golf bag and must return it. She is over there."
+Marjorie nodded toward the group. "Pardon me. I'll return instantly."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, ever so much. I shall be glad to wait for you," sweetly
+responded the newcomer. "I am Barbara Severn, of Baltimore."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie stopped to acknowledge the introduction, then onerous as was
+the task, she went staunchly to it. Luckily for her, Miss Walbert stood
+at the edge of the group, momentarily neglected by her chosen
+acquaintances. They were busily engaged with their junior classmates.</p>
+
+<p>"Here is your golf bag, Miss Walbert. I forgot<a class="pagenum" name="page_80" id="page_80" title="80"></a> to give it to you when I
+left you." Her tone evenly impersonal, it carried a note of reserve
+which the other caught.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, thank you. I&mdash;that is&mdash;I forgot about it, too." She attempted a
+smile as she reached out to take it from Marjorie's hands.</p>
+
+<p>"You are welcome." A slight inclination of the head and Marjorie was
+gone.</p>
+
+<p>Elizabeth Walbert watched the graceful figure in white across the
+platform. Certainly this Dean girl was awfully good style, she
+reflected.</p>
+
+<p>"What did mamma's precious pet want with you?" For the first time, since
+acknowledging an introduction to Elizabeth, Leslie Cairns had
+condescended to address her.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing, except to return this. She carried it and forgot to give it to
+me when I shook her. I am glad she didn't wait and bring it over to
+Alston Terrace. I don't care much for that type of girl. She's priggish
+and goody-goody, isn't she?" Miss Walbert promptly took her cue from
+Leslie.</p>
+
+<p>While the babyish-looking freshman regarded Leslie with a perfectly
+innocent expression, there was lurking malice in her wide blue eyes. She
+had not liked the dignity Marjorie had shown when returning her
+property. It rankled in her petty soul. With the gratitude of the
+proverbial serpent,<a class="pagenum" name="page_81" id="page_81" title="81"></a> she was quite ready to sting the hand which had
+befriended her.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll say she is," returned Leslie. "I can't endure the sight of her and
+she knows it. You noticed she did not stay long. Lucky you knew Joan and
+Harriet. I'd be sorry for you if you had been roped in by that crowd of
+muffs." She laughed disagreeably.</p>
+
+<p>"It would take more than that crowd of muffs, as you call them, to rope
+me in," boasted the other girl. "I saw at once they were not the kind
+that make good pals. Not enough to them, you know. Besides, I prefer not
+to be too friendly with a stranger until I know her social position."</p>
+
+<p>Leslie Cairns regarded her meditatively, then held out her hand. "Shake
+hands on that," she invited. "You seem to have some sense. I hope you
+will stick to what you have said. If you do, you may count yourself a
+friend of mine. You will find, after you have been at Hamilton a while,
+that my friendship amounts to a good deal."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I am <i>sure</i> of that," emphasized the freshman. She was not sure at
+all. What she had shrewdly taken stock of was the cut and material of
+the English tweed sports suit Leslie was wearing. It was a marvel of
+expense. It was conspicuous, even among the smart traveling suits of her
+companions. So were her sports hat and English ties. Leslie's assured
+manner also impressed her. She<a class="pagenum" name="page_82" id="page_82" title="82"></a> decided that this exceedingly ugly but
+very "swagger" girl must be a person of importance at Hamilton.</p>
+
+<p>Unmistakable gratification looked out from Leslie Cairns'
+roughly-chiseled features at the freshman's flattering response. Like
+the majority of the unworthy, she craved flattery. Since she had been
+denied physical beauty, she built her hopes on attracting admiration by
+her daring personality. During her freshman year at Hamilton she had
+acquired a certain kind of popularity by her high-handed methods.
+Possessed of an immense fortune, and in her own right, she had acquired
+tremendous power over her particular clique by reason of her money.
+Leslie never "went broke." The majority of the Sans received liberal
+allowances from home and spent them even more liberally. Leslie was a
+good port in time of storm&mdash;when she chose to be. Once under obligation
+to her, she was quite likely, if crossed, to let her debtor feel the
+weight of her displeasure.</p>
+
+<p>"Did that Miss Dean have anything to say about us?" Leslie casually
+inquired. Finding herself admired, she preferred to cultivate her new
+acquaintance rather than devote her attention to those of her class who
+had come down to the train.</p>
+
+<p>"She said&mdash;let me see." Miss Walbert knitted her light eyebrows in an
+elaborate effort at recollection.<a class="pagenum" name="page_83" id="page_83" title="83"></a> "She said she had never met any of
+you girls and she didn't care for an acquaintance with you. I I had
+asked who you were because I wanted so much to know you. I recognized
+you girls at once as my kind. Just to see your dandy crowd coming along
+made me homesick for dear old Welden. I palled with a crowd like that at
+prep."</p>
+
+<p>"Our little angel, Miss Bean,&mdash;I always call her Bean instead of
+Dean,&mdash;doesn't care what she does with the truth," sneered Leslie. "Last
+fall we came down to the train to meet her crowd. We knew they were
+greenies from a little one-horse town called Sanford. They were to be at
+the same campus house as we. A few of us thought we would try to help
+them. We took my friend, Miss Weyman's, car and went to the station.
+Missed 'em by about two minutes. They hired a taxi. We felt mortified
+and went around to this Miss Dean's room to apologize. We were almost
+frost-bitten. They were so rude I felt ashamed for them. Afterward they
+started a lot of lies about us that made trouble for us at the Hall."</p>
+
+<p>"My goodness!" fluttered Miss Walbert. "I had a narrow escape, didn't I?
+I will take pains to steer clear of that whole crowd. I don't know
+whether I would recognize most of them if I happened to meet them on the
+campus. I would certainly know Miss Dean."<a class="pagenum" name="page_84" id="page_84" title="84"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Where are you going to live?" Leslie dropped back into her usual
+indifferent drawl.</p>
+
+<p>"Alston Terrace. I have an exam. in math. to try. I'm pretty sure of
+staying, though. Is Alston Terrace as nice as the house where you are?
+What did you say the name of your house was? Could I change and get in
+there?" There was suppressed eagerness in the last question.</p>
+
+<p>"You could not." Leslie regarded the questioner with a superior smile.
+"I live at Wayland Hall. Our crowd live there, too. It's the best house
+on the campus, and hard to get into. It has two drawbacks; an idiot of a
+manager, and dear Miss Bean and her crowd. We have made complaint
+against the manager and she may have to go. She's a hateful old fossil
+and shows partiality. We can't do much about this crowd of which I've
+been telling you, unless they do something very malicious against us.
+Just let them start anything, though&mdash;&mdash;" Her small black eyes narrowed
+unpleasantly.</p>
+
+<p>At this juncture Natalie Weyman appealed to her to corroborate a
+statement she had just made to one of the juniors who had come down to
+the train to meet the Sans. Natalie had not been too busy with her
+friends to note that Leslie had condescended to show interest in the
+freshman. She, therefore, decided to break up the conversation going on
+between them. It was bad enough to have Lola Elster<a class="pagenum" name="page_85" id="page_85" title="85"></a> to contend with.
+She did not propose to allow this forward little snip, as she mentally
+characterized Miss Walbert, any leeway toward Leslie's favor which she
+could prevent.</p>
+
+<p>"She doesn't like me and I don't like her," was the freshman's
+conclusion. When speaking to Leslie, Natalie had regarded her out of two
+very cold gray-blue eyes. The polite smile which had touched her lips
+was suggestive of frost.</p>
+
+<p>It was the last thing needed to fire Elizabeth Walbert's ambition toward
+an intimate friendship with Leslie Cairns. She resolved that she would
+not only be chums with Leslie. Sooner or later she would take up her
+residence at Wayland Hall. She had always been clever at obtaining
+whatever she desired. To attain a residence at the Hall might not be so
+very difficult. At least it was worth the effort. She did not care who
+might be shoved out in order to make room for her.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Marjorie had safely conducted her second venture in freshmen
+to the spot where a knot of girls stood patiently awaiting her tardy
+appearance. Helen alone was missing, having gone into the town on an
+errand.</p>
+
+<p>"Where were you? We thought you were right behind us. What has become of
+your blonde freshie? We knew something had happened," was the reception
+which greeted her and her charge.<a class="pagenum" name="page_86" id="page_86" title="86"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Do blondes change to brunettes in the twinkling of an eye?" laughed
+Leila, her blue eyes resting very kindly on Marjorie's pretty companion.</p>
+
+<p>"They do not. Miss Walbert deserted me. She knew Miss Myers and Miss
+Stephens. She went with them." Marjorie made the explanation in a calm,
+level voice which did not invite present questioning.</p>
+
+<p>"Then we can't count her in with this select aggregation," Vera said
+dryly. "Helen's gone, too, but her going was legitimate."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, well. We have gained one and lost one. Let us run off with our gain
+before someone happens along and coaxes her away from us. Might we not
+know her by name?" Leila turned to Marjorie with a wide ingratiating
+smile. The stranger was already regarding Leila with open amusement.</p>
+
+<p>"You shall know her by name at once. You don't have to remind me to
+introduce her," retorted Marjorie. "I'll present you to her first of
+all. Miss Impatience, I mean Miss Harper, this is Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore." Marjorie again went through the ceremony of introduction,
+this time with smiles and whole-heartedness.</p>
+
+<p>"We are thirteen in number, but who cares?" Leila announced. "Seven to
+one and six to the other car, Midget. As we aren't in the jitney
+business<a class="pagenum" name="page_87" id="page_87" title="87"></a> we won't come to blows over the one extra fare."</p>
+
+<p>While they were disposing themselves in the two automobiles for the ride
+to Hamilton College, the sound of high-pitched voices announced the
+arrival on the scene of the Sans. Three of the juniors who had elected
+to meet them had driven their own cars to the station. Thus the
+illustrious Sans did not have to depend on the station's taxicabs.</p>
+
+<p>While Leila would have liked to drive off in a hurry rather than
+encounter at such close range the girls she so heartily despised, she
+moved, instead, with the utmost deliberation. She was just climbing into
+the driver's seat when the small but noisy procession of young women
+came opposite to her car. Vera sat ready to start, her slender hands
+resting idly on the wheel as she waited for Leila's signal. The
+occupants of both cars, save for the freshman from Baltimore, were
+making a commendable effort to appear impersonal. Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore, was innocently interested in the newcomers from the fact that
+they were also students of Hamilton College.</p>
+
+<p>Aside from considerable laughter, which sounded too pointed to be
+impersonal, the party of arriving juniors strolled past. Among the last
+came Leslie Cairns. She had insisted on walking with Elizabeth Walbert,
+greatly to Natalie's vexation. As<a class="pagenum" name="page_88" id="page_88" title="88"></a> she lounged past Leila's car she cast
+an insolent glance at the Irish girl. Leila returned it with an
+expression so inscrutably Celtic that Leslie hastily removed her gaze to
+Jerry, who sat beside Leila. She glared an intensity of ill-feeling at
+Jerry, which the latter longed to return, but did nothing worse than
+look blank.</p>
+
+<p>Leila drove her car almost savagely around the station yard and out into
+the wide avenue. Sight of the Sans, particularly Leslie Cairns, had put
+her momentarily in a bad humor. Her virile Irish temperament forbade her
+to do other than love or hate with all her strength of being. She hated
+Leslie as energetically as she adored Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"That Miss Walbert makes me sick," was Jerry's incensed comment as they
+bowled smoothly along the avenue. "I'd like to know just what happened
+to Marjorie. Of course she will tell us later. The idea of that little
+shrimp marching past us as though we were a collection of sign posts,
+particularly after we had treated her so decently. It's a good thing she
+showed her mettle from the start. Did you notice the way she snubbed my
+freshman?"</p>
+
+<p>"I did. How, may I ask, do you happen to be out here with me instead of
+sitting faithfully in the tonneau beside your find?" quizzed Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Katherine and Lucy took her away from me. I guess I scared her. She
+is in Vera's car<a class="pagenum" name="page_89" id="page_89" title="89"></a> with them. If you don't enjoy my society, stop the
+buzz buggy and I will get out and walk. I may lose a pound or two, even
+if my feelings are hurt."</p>
+
+<p>"It is here you'll stay. Tongue cannot tell how much I enjoy your
+society," Leila extravagantly assured. "I see you are liking the Sans a
+little less than ever. I am of the same mind. Did you see Leslie Cairns
+look at us; first at me, then you? I did not expect them back so soon.
+For all their private car they met with a tiny reception. Four or five
+juniors; that is quite different from two years ago."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe they've come back early to be on the scene and get a stand-in
+with the freshies," cannily suggested Jerry. "Wouldn't it be funny to
+see us and the Sans down at the station every day, grabbing the freshies
+as they came off the train, like a couple of jitney drivers?"</p>
+
+<p>Leila laughed. "They will never go that far. That would take some
+kindness of heart and consideration. If they rushed the incoming
+freshies just to spite us, they would soon sicken of their project. They
+are like the bandarlog in Kipling's Jungle books, they gather leaves
+only to throw them into the air."</p>
+
+<p>"Some of them will take a trip up into the air this year if they don't
+mind their own affairs," threatened Jerry. "The freshman crop was small<a class="pagenum" name="page_90" id="page_90" title="90"></a>
+today. We garnered two and the Sans one. I suppose there were some
+others who were met by students besides ourselves. Marjorie thinks we
+ought to meet two trains a day, at least. The rest of our committee
+ought to be here. We could divide up the trains among us. You and Vera
+are really doing the work of the absent members."</p>
+
+<p>"Say nothing about it. There is little to do this week. Vera and I were
+talking last night. We should have done this last year. We did not."
+Leila shrugged disapproval of her own former lack of interest in the
+welfare of other students.</p>
+
+<p>"Leila," Marjorie leaned forward and called out, "Miss Severn is going
+to Acasia House. Do you know where Miss Towne is to go?"</p>
+
+<p>"Somewhere off the campus," returned Leila. "Vera has her and her
+address. We are to take her to her boarding place first."</p>
+
+<p>Miss Towne's boarding house turned out to be a modest two-story brick
+house about half a mile off the campus. It was one of a scattered row,
+there being only a few houses in the immediate vicinity of the college.
+Muriel and Katherine helped her to the door with her luggage. Her
+friendly escort called her a cordial good-bye from the automobiles,
+after promising to look her up as soon as she should be fairly settled.
+She went to her new quarters in a daze of sheer happiness, feeling much
+as Cinderella<a class="pagenum" name="page_91" id="page_91" title="91"></a> must have when she unexpectedly found a fairy God-mother.</p>
+
+<p>Acasia House being Miss Severn's destination, the two cars wound their
+way in and out of the beautiful campus driveway. At the center drive
+they separated, Vera taking her car straight to Wayland Hall on account
+of Selma, Nella and Hortense. Muriel went with them, declining to be
+parted from her recently regained room-mate.</p>
+
+<p>Leila drove slowly toward Acasia House, endeavoring to give their
+freshman charge full opportunity to see the campus in its early autumn
+glory. Brimming with eager enthusiasm, Marjorie pointed out the various
+halls, the library, the chapel and the campus houses. She was pleased to
+find her freshman no less enthusiastic than herself over the campus
+itself. Marjorie took that as another good sign. No one who was really
+sincere at heart could fail to be impressed by the campus.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_92" id="page_92" title="92"></a>
+<a name="HER_FATHERS_METHODS_2196" id="HER_FATHERS_METHODS_2196"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+<h3>HER FATHER'S METHODS.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"There is just one thing about it. We have <i>got</i> to get busy." Leslie
+Cairns made this announcement with special emphasis on the word "got."
+Her face wore an expression of sullen determination. "Those Sanford
+goody-goodies are out to do us."</p>
+
+<p>"Out to do us?" repeated Natalie Weyman, with questioning inflection.
+"What do you mean, Les? I failed to see any particular triumph on their
+part this afternoon. They merely marched off with a seedy-looking
+freshie or two. No one we wanted." Natalie shrugged her disdain of the
+Lookouts' capture. "Too bad that simple-acting Walbert creature didn't
+stay with dear Miss Bean. We could live without her. I have no use for
+that girl."</p>
+
+<p>Leslie's eyes narrowed. She banged her dessert spoon on the table with a
+vicious clang and thrust her chin forward.</p>
+
+<p>"Probably <i>you</i> haven't, Miss Jealousy," she<a class="pagenum" name="page_93" id="page_93" title="93"></a> sneered. "I fail to see
+anything simple about Miss Walbert. She has three times as much sense as
+certain persons I could name."</p>
+
+<p>"Meaning me, I suppose." Natalie's tone was equally sneering. She was
+white with anger, principally at having been called "Miss Jealousy."
+Leslie had often privately accused her of being jealous-hearted. This
+was the first time she had ever taunted her so openly of it.</p>
+
+<p>"Won't you two <i>please</i> stop scrapping?" begged Margaret Wayne in a
+tired voice. "I thought we came to the Colonial for a pleasant evening.
+It has been anything but that, with you two snarling back and forth at
+each other like a couple of tigers at the Zoo."</p>
+
+<p>"Much obliged for the compliment," flung back Natalie in frost-bitten
+accents.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you are entirely welcome." Margaret laid provoking stress on the
+"welcome."</p>
+
+<p>"Looks as if the scrap might be trusted to you, Wayne. You certainly can
+hold up your end of it." Leslie called her friends by their last names
+merely to be insolent. "Anyone can fuss with Nat, you know. She has the
+sweet disposition of a very sour pickle most of the time."</p>
+
+<p>"Since that is your opinion of me, I am surprised you ever cared to be
+friends with me at all." Very near to tears, Natalie managed to preserve
+an<a class="pagenum" name="page_94" id="page_94" title="94"></a> offended dignity which had more effect upon Leslie than any
+sarcastic retort might have had. Nor was Natalie unaware of this.
+Momentarily angered, she had made a strenuous effort to choke back the
+biting words just behind her lips. She always remembered one cold fact
+in time. It never paid in the long run to quarrel with Leslie.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you are not so bad when one has grown used to you," Leslie
+patronizingly conceded. "Excuse me for losing my temper and telling you
+the plain truth about yourself."</p>
+
+<p>Natalie's color rose. She hated Leslie's patronizing insolence more than
+she hated her open vituperation. She would have liked to say that she
+was amazed to learn that Leslie ever told the plain truth about
+anything. Prudence warned her to let the quarrel drop.</p>
+
+<p>"I accept your apology, Leslie," she said with great sweetness, entirely
+ignoring the sting of Leslie's remarks.</p>
+
+<p>"What?" Leslie stared. A faint snicker arose from two or three of the
+other girls. "You seem to have recovered your wits again, Nat," she said
+with elaborate carelessness. "We are quits, I guess, for the present."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank goodness!" This from Joan Myers. "Now that peace has been
+restored, perhaps you will<a class="pagenum" name="page_95" id="page_95" title="95"></a> condescend to tell us what you started out
+to say, Leslie."</p>
+
+<p>"De-lighted." Leslie bowed ironically. "To jump into the middle of the
+subject at once, I asked you seven Sans to this party tonight for a
+purpose. We eight girls are the founders of the Sans. I told all the
+other Sans that I wasn't going to ask them here tonight, and not to get
+their backs humped about it. I promised 'em a big party at the Ivy
+Saturday night. There is a private dining room there with a long table
+that will seat the whole eighteen of us. I don't know whether they liked
+it or not, and I don't care. It was up to us to talk things over and let
+them into it afterward."</p>
+
+<p>"Some of the girls had other engagements anyway," put in Joan Myers. "I
+know Anne Dawson and Loretta Kelly were invited to a senior blow-out at
+Alston Terrace."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that's neither here nor there," retorted Leslie somewhat rudely.
+It did not please her to learn that any of the Sans had received more
+attention from the seniors than herself. Thus far she had not been the
+recipient of an invitation to dine from a senior. She was still inwardly
+sore at the lack of attention they had met with on their arrival at
+Hamilton station.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't think it is a very good policy for we eight founders of the
+Sans to keep to ourselves too<a class="pagenum" name="page_96" id="page_96" title="96"></a> much," deprecated Dulcie Vale, regardless
+of Leslie's views on the subject. "The whole eighteen of us will have to
+stick together and work hard if we expect to keep the upper hand of
+things here at Hamilton."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, forget it," ordered Leslie brusquely. "Your trouble is easy to
+explain. You are sore because I didn't invite Eleanor, your pal, to this
+dinner."</p>
+
+<p>"I am not," stoutly contradicted Dulcie. Nevertheless her sudden flush
+belied her words.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course you are," went on Leslie imperturbably. "Understand, I didn't
+<i>want</i> the rest of the gang here tonight, and that's that. What I
+started out to say when Nat and Joan and Margaret and you butted in, one
+by one, was this: We must bestir ourselves and make a fuss over the
+freshies. This year's freshman class is, I'm told, the largest entering
+class for ten years. I don't feel like bothering myself with the diggy,
+priggy element of freshies, but even they will have to be considered.
+I'd do anything to spite that Sanford crowd and upset the progress they
+have made against us."</p>
+
+<p>"What progress have they made, I'd like to know?" demanded Harriet
+Stephens scornfully. "If you mean the way they got back at us for
+ragging Miss Dean, I think that was <i>simply disgraceful</i> in them to call
+a meeting as they did and blacken our standing at Wayland Hall. It is a
+wonder we<a class="pagenum" name="page_97" id="page_97" title="97"></a> managed to keep our rooms at the Hall after all the row they
+made about a little bit of ragging."</p>
+
+<p>"We kept them, just the same, and you may thank Joan and I for it,"
+significantly reminded Leslie. "I know old Remson is so sore at us she
+could snap our heads off. The funny part of it is, she will never know
+how cleverly we blocked her little game. That reminds me. I don't want
+the rest of the Sans to know the way we worked that scheme. Eight of us
+in the secret is enough. Remember, if it ever got out we would be all
+through at Hamilton College."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you believe we would be expelled, Les?" asked Dulcie Vale, looking
+worried.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe it. I <i>know</i> we would. Nothing could save us. Never
+mind being scared, though. No one will ever know the rights of our plot
+unless some one of you girls here is silly enough to tell it. That's why
+I am cautioning you to be careful."</p>
+
+<p>"Leslie is precisely right about that," Natalie Weyman hastened to
+agree. "We shall have to be very careful what we do this year. I think
+that a little missionary work among the freshies would be a good thing
+for all of us. Later on we can drop them if they grow to be too much of
+a bore."</p>
+
+<p>"They will take care of themselves as they get used to college,"
+predicted Leslie. "If some of 'em turn out to be really smart, like Lola
+Elster, for<a class="pagenum" name="page_98" id="page_98" title="98"></a> instance, then we needn't be slow about running with them.
+<i>You</i> think, Nat, that I have a crush on that Miss Walbert." Leslie
+turned directly to Natalie. "I have not. She is just the person I need,
+though, to carry out a plan of mine. Joan and Harriet both say that the
+Walberts have millions. They have a wonderful place at Newport. So Mrs.
+Barry Symonds told Joan. What did you say the Walbert's place was
+called, Joan?"</p>
+
+<p>"Evermonde," furnished Joan promptly. "I was sorry I didn't go and call
+on the kid, particularly after I found out who she was. I only met her
+twice at the tag end of the season."</p>
+
+<p>"What I want her for," continued Leslie with slow emphasis, "is the
+freshman presidency."</p>
+
+<p>"Some modest little ambition," murmured Evangeline Heppler.</p>
+
+<p>"Um-m! Well, rather!" agreed Adelaide Forman. "How do you propose to
+make it happen, Les?"</p>
+
+<p>"Leave that to me. I'm not prepared to tell you yet. I only know that it
+has to happen. It will give us a good hold on the freshies." Leslie's
+loose-lipped mouth tightened perceptibly. "We'll have to do some clever
+electioneering. I expect it will cost money. I don't care how much it
+costs, so long as I win my point."<a class="pagenum" name="page_99" id="page_99" title="99"></a></p>
+
+<p>"You mean we must rush the freshies?" interrogated Margaret Wayne.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," nodded Leslie. "Cart them around in our cars. Blow them off to
+dinners and luncheons. Begin tomorrow to go down to the station and grab
+them as they come off the train."</p>
+
+<p>"Deliver me from the station act." Joan Myers made a wry face.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll have to go to it with the rest of us," insisted Leslie with a
+suggestive lowering of brows. "This is really serious business, Joan. I
+don't intend to sit still and see a bunch of muffs like those Sanford
+girls run Hamilton College. We had things all our own way until they
+came upon the scene. Nothing has been as it should be for us since then.
+They have turned a lot of upper class girls against us. I don't mean
+Leila Harper and her crowd. They never had any time for us. There are a
+good many Silverton Hall girls of our social standing, but they went
+almost solid against us in that Miss Reid affair last year. Who was to
+blame for that? Those Sanford busybodies, you may be sure."</p>
+
+<p>"I believe it was that Miss Page who started the Silverton Hall gang,"
+differed Dulcie Vale, with a touch of sulkiness. She was still peeved at
+Leslie and now delighted in expressing a contrary opinion.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care what <i>you</i> believe," mimicked Leslie<a class="pagenum" name="page_100" id="page_100" title="100"></a> disagreeably. "I say
+it was the Sanford crowd who started the trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"Say it, then. Sing it if you like," retorted Dulcie. "I am privileged
+to my own opinion."</p>
+
+<p>"Keep it to yourself, then. I don't care to hear it," coolly returned
+Leslie. "You girls make me weary. You are all so ready to start fussing
+over nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"You are just as ready!" burst forth Dulcie, in a sudden gust of anger.
+"You think we all ought to do precisely as you say and never have an
+opinion of our own. I fail to see why I, at least, should be bossed by
+you. It isn't we girls that are at fault. It is you. I like you, Leslie,
+when you don't try to run everything. When you begin bullying, I can't
+endure you. Please don't attempt to bully me, for I won't stand it."</p>
+
+<p>"There is one thing about it," broke in Harriet Stephens decidedly, "we
+shall not accomplish much if there is no unity among us. So far as I am
+concerned, I would rather have Leslie take the lead. I will never
+forgive the Sanford crowd for what they did to us last March. If Leslie
+can find ways to get even with them, I am willing to do as she says,
+simply to see those hateful girls defeated in whatever they set out to
+do."</p>
+
+<p>"That is the proper spirit," approved Leslie. "Believe me, I know what I
+am saying when I tell<a class="pagenum" name="page_101" id="page_101" title="101"></a> you that we must fight those girls and put them
+in the background where they belong. The way to begin this year is to
+win over the freshies. The minute it is known we are interesting
+ourselves in these greenies' welfare, our popularity will take a jump
+upward. Every one of you can either give me your promise tonight to help
+or keep away from me the rest of the year. Think it over. Don't promise
+and then go to grumbling behind my back about it. If you do, I'll be
+sure to hear it."</p>
+
+<p>"It will be rather good fun to play angel to the freshies for a change,"
+said Evangeline Hepper. "We might have a picnic some Saturday, or give a
+hop for them. Have it understood, of course, that it was the Sans
+Soucians who were to be the hostesses."</p>
+
+<p>"We can decide better what to do after we have met a few of the
+freshmen," returned Leslie. "I hope there won't be many of those
+beggarly-looking girls who come into college on scholarships or scrape
+their way through without a cent above their expenses. They are so
+tiresome. That Miss Langly, of our class, is a glowing example of what I
+mean."</p>
+
+<p>"She is very high and mighty since the Sanford crowd took her up, isn't
+she?" shrugged Natalie.</p>
+
+<p>"She always was, for that matter," said Adelaide Forman. "Those girls
+have praised her and babied<a class="pagenum" name="page_102" id="page_102" title="102"></a> her until she is a good deal more
+infatuated with herself than she used to be."</p>
+
+<p>"That is another reason I have for wanting to get back at them,"
+asserted Leslie. "You all know the snippy way she acted when we asked
+her to change rooms with Lola. Worse still, she had to go and tell her
+troubles to the Sanford crowd. They started right in to tell everyone
+how brilliant she was and how shabbily we had treated her. Then the
+Silverton Hall girls took it up and spread the news abroad that Langly
+had won a scholarship no one else had been able to win for twenty years.
+That sent her stock away up and we had to stop ragging her or be
+disliked. I shall not forget that little performance in a hurry."</p>
+
+<p>"They certainly put one over on us with that miserable old beauty
+contest, too." Natalie's voice quivered with bitterness.</p>
+
+<p>"Leila Harper was to blame for that, Nat. She is the cleverest girl at
+Hamilton. We made a serious mistake in the beginning about her. They say
+her father has oodles of money." Joan looked brief regret at the mistake
+the Sans had made in not cultivating Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"We never could have got along with her," Leslie said decidedly. "I am
+glad we never took her up. I detest her and Vera Mason, too, but not
+half so hard as I do Miss Bean and her satellites." Leslie<a class="pagenum" name="page_103" id="page_103" title="103"></a> invariably
+said "Bean" instead of Dean in derision of Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>She now paused, her heavy features dark with resentment. The
+independence of Marjorie Dean and her friends was a thorn to her flesh.
+Each time she had attempted to injure them she had been ingloriously
+defeated. She was determined, this year, not only to win back and
+maintain her former leadership at Hamilton College, but also to crush
+the rising power of the girls she so greatly disliked.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you going to let the rest of the Sans in on this station business?"
+inquired Harriet Stephens.</p>
+
+<p>"Naturally; we need them to help us out. Don't get the idea I am trying
+to keep the other girls out of our plans. I am not. It's like this. The
+eight of us ran around together at prep school before we took the rest
+of the girls into our crowd. We have always been a little more
+confidential among ourselves because we are the old guard, as you might
+say. Of course they know all about our troubles with Miss Bean and her
+pals. They went through them with us. What we must keep to ourselves is
+this Wayland Hall affair. We saved their rooms for them. They know that.
+They don't need to know the exact process by which we did it, do they? I
+merely told them that I thought I could get my father to fix up matters
+if there was any trouble started. They let us do all the worrying over
+it. I<a class="pagenum" name="page_104" id="page_104" title="104"></a> guess we have the right to keep it to ourselves. That settles
+you, Dulcie. You can quit sulking because I won't allow you to tell
+everything you know to Eleanor. Remember it is to your own precious
+interest not to."</p>
+
+<p>Leslie delivered herself of this long speech very much as her father
+might have addressed himself to a group of his business lieutenants. It
+was received with a certain amount of respect which was always accorded
+her by her chums when she adopted her father's tone and manner. They
+were all still more or less uneasy over the method which she and Joan
+had employed to save them their residence at Wayland Hall.</p>
+
+<p>"Leslie, do you think we will ever have any trouble about&mdash;well&mdash;about
+what you and Joan did?" questioned Evangeline Heppler rather uneasily.</p>
+
+<p>"Not unless you let someone outside this crowd into the secret. The only
+other person who knows it would not dare tell it. She would deny knowing
+a thing about it to the very end. Don't worry. That is past. It won't
+come up again. We are safe enough. It is up to us now to put the enemy
+on the back seats where they belong and regain the ground we lost last
+year. I repeat what I said awhile ago. We have <i>got</i> to get busy."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_105" id="page_105" title="105"></a>
+<a name="FRESHIE_FISHING_2520" id="FRESHIE_FISHING_2520"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+<h3>FRESHIE FISHING.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The result of Leslie Cairns' rallying of her companions to her standard
+was made manifest when a fairly lengthy procession of automobiles,
+driven by Sans sped along the smooth roads to the station on the
+following Friday morning.</p>
+
+<p>While Leslie was not at all on good terms with Miss Humphrey, the
+registrar, she had other sources of information open to her regarding
+college matters which were by rights none of her affairs. It was,
+therefore, easy for her to learn how many of the freshman class had
+registered and govern herself accordingly. With the tactics of a general
+she went the rounds of the Sans, ordering them to be on hand all day
+Friday with their cars, provided these highly useful machines in the
+campaign had arrived on the scene. At least half of the Sans were
+already in possession of their own pet cars, these having been driven to
+Hamilton by the chauffeurs of<a class="pagenum" name="page_106" id="page_106" title="106"></a> their respective families. Nine
+automobiles accordingly went to swell the procession that sunny Friday
+morning and the Sans were in high feather as, two to a car, they set out
+on their self-imposed welcoming task.</p>
+
+<p>Leslie had decreed that they were to meet every incoming train of
+importance that day and spare no pains to make themselves agreeable to
+the newcomers. In case the freshman yield was small, they were to use
+their judgment about being friendly with returning students of the upper
+classes.</p>
+
+<p>"If we can't fill our cars with freshies, you girls all know just about
+who's who at Hamilton. Don't pick up a soph, junior or senior unless you
+are sure that it will be to our advantage to do so. Keep an eye out for
+faculty. Nothing like being on the soft side of them."</p>
+
+<p>Such was Leslie's counsel to her followers who were entering the
+campaign with a malicious zest infinitely gratifying to her. While the
+other eight cars contained two occupants apiece, Leslie's pet roadster
+held a third passenger. Leslie had elected to invite Elizabeth Walbert
+to share the roadster with herself and Harriet Stephens. This was not in
+the least to Natalie Weyman's liking. Her own car having arrived, she
+was obliged to drive it. She had not emerged from her cloud of
+resentment<a class="pagenum" name="page_107" id="page_107" title="107"></a> against the officious Miss Walbert, nor was she likely to.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the faithful little committee, truly devoted to freshman
+welfare, was blissfully unaware that their duties were about to be
+snatched from them by the predatory Sans. The absent members of the
+committee having arrived, the seven girls held a meeting on Thursday
+evening in Marjorie's room, dividing the trains to be met among them.
+Marjorie and Jerry were to be reinforced by Leila and Vera. The others
+had also certain friends among the sophs, juniors and seniors who could
+be relied upon to help them.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie and Jerry having been detailed to meet the ten-twenty train
+from the west each morning, Vera and Leila never failed to be on hand
+with their cars by nine o'clock. This permitted of a delightful spin in
+the fresh air over the many picturesque drives in the vicinity of
+Hamilton College. Always punctual, Leila never failed to get them to the
+station in plenty of time for the train.</p>
+
+<p>Driving into the station yard on this particular Friday morning, the
+sight of a line of shining automobiles caused them to blink in momentary
+astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>"The Sans!" muttered Leila, giving vent to her usual whistle of
+surprise. "Now what are the<a class="pagenum" name="page_108" id="page_108" title="108"></a> heathen up to? Look at that line of cars!
+Almost every color except violet. What do you make of that?"</p>
+
+<p>"They must expect a delegation of their own friends," guessed Marjorie.
+"A lot of upper class girls are expected at Hamilton today."</p>
+
+<p>"Freshies, too," added Leila, as she brought her car to a stop and
+prepared to alight. "Miss Humphrey told me she thought a large part of
+the freshman class would be in on Friday and Saturday. I was complaining
+to her of how few we had landed in the past week."</p>
+
+<p>By this time Jerry and Vera were both out of Vera's car and had come
+quickly up to Marjorie and Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"Can you beat it?" saluted Jerry. "We think the Sans have come freshie
+fishing. What do you think?"</p>
+
+<p>"Little Miss Charitable thinks they may be down here to meet their own
+friends," remarked Leila with a mischievous glance toward Marjorie. "You
+guileless infant! Don't you know what has happened? The Sans are going to
+do just what some of us said the other night they wouldn't take the
+trouble to do. They have gone into the welcoming business."</p>
+
+<p>"One, two, three&mdash;&mdash;" Vera had begun to count<a class="pagenum" name="page_109" id="page_109" title="109"></a> the colorful array of
+automobiles. "Nine machines." She turned to Leila with a little laugh.
+"It shows which way the wind is blowing, doesn't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"We are going to have some fun with them this year," predicted Leila
+with a touch of grimness. "They are beginning to be afraid of losing
+their glory or you would never see them down here welcoming freshmen."</p>
+
+<p>"Let's get along and take a look at our rivals," suggested Jerry
+humorously. "I suppose they will all be dressed to kill. Too bad they
+can't appear in full evening dress. That would be so much more
+impressive."</p>
+
+<p>"I am not going to let them bother me," announced Marjorie placidly.
+"The kind of girls we are specially on the lookout to help will not be
+their kind. They will pick out the smartly-dressed ones and leave the
+humble ones, if there are any, to us. After all, there are not very many
+poor students at Hamilton. I suppose it is because of the high tuition
+fees and the expensive board here."</p>
+
+<p>"We had better hustle along. Hear that?" Jerry; raised a hand for
+attention. "That is the train whistling."</p>
+
+<p>Without further delay the quartette hurriedly sought the stairs and
+reached the platform a moment or two before the train appeared in
+sight.<a class="pagenum" name="page_110" id="page_110" title="110"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I shall not be sorry when our committee duties end," Marjorie said with
+a faint sigh. "It seems as though about all I have done since I came
+back to Hamilton is to meet trains. I have a lot of things to do for
+myself that I haven't had time to think about. I haven't arranged my
+study programme either."</p>
+
+<p>"Cheer up. Tomorrow will end it," consoled Vera. "There will be some
+stragglers next week, of course, but today and Saturday will see the
+most of the students here."</p>
+
+<p>"Look at the Sans." Leila arched her brows and drew down the corners of
+her mouth. "Hmm! Posted all along the platform with General Cairns in
+the most prominent place. And do my eyes tell me lies! Isn't that girl
+hanging on her arm the freshie you lost the other day, Marjorie?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, it is Miss Walbert." Marjorie instantly identified the fickle
+freshman.</p>
+
+<p>"You never said a word to any of us about what happened the other day
+except that she knew Miss Myers and left you," Jerry said. "I meant to
+ask you about her afterward and I forgot it. Was she snippy with you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No-o; not exactly snippy." A faint smile rose to Marjorie's lips. "She
+wasn't satisfied to stay with us. The minute she caught sight of the
+Sans<a class="pagenum" name="page_111" id="page_111" title="111"></a> she wanted to be with them. Then she found she knew Miss Myers and
+Miss Stephens, and she simply walked off and left us."</p>
+
+<p>"She's a first-class snob, isn't she?" persisted Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, she is," Marjorie responded truthfully. "Frankly I am not sorry
+she left us. I seldom dislike a girl on sight, but I did not like her. I
+found it hard work to be polite to her. There was something about her
+that jarred on me dreadfully."</p>
+
+<p>The arrival of the train cut off further conversation for the moment.
+The four girls turned their attention to watching the little stream of
+girls that issued from the several cars. Greatly to their amusement the
+Sans behaved somewhat after the manner of taxicab drivers eagerly
+soliciting fares.</p>
+
+<p>"We stand small chance with the freshies today, unless we can line up
+beside the Sans and call out our merits," laughed Leila.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie smiled absently, only half hearing Leila's remark. Her eyes
+were roving up and down the platform in an effort to pick up any girl
+whom the Sans might deliberately choose to overlook. She saw no one. The
+considerable number of girls who had descended the car steps were being
+taken in tow by the new self-constituted reception committee. The
+clanging of bells and the sharp blast of the<a class="pagenum" name="page_112" id="page_112" title="112"></a> whistle proclaimed the
+train to be ready to move on. The Sans and their finds were already
+turning their back upon it.</p>
+
+<p>Several yards below where she was standing, Marjorie suddenly spied a
+lithe, girlish figure coming down the car steps almost at a run,
+burdened though she was by a traveling bag and a suitcase. At the bottom
+step she lost her grip on the leather bag and it rolled onto the
+platform. Instantly Marjorie hurried to her, followed by Jerry. Leila
+and Vera were genially shaking hands with two seniors who were also
+behind the main body of the crowd in leaving the train.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" exclaimed a dismayed voice, as the traveler's feet found the solid
+platform.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie had already recovered the leather bag. Nor was she a second too
+soon. Joan Myers had lagged behind her companions to talk to a senior
+who had just come off the train. She had also seen the solitary arrival.
+She had not failed to note the girl's ultra smart appearance and
+consequently decided to take charge of her. Utterly ignoring the fact
+that Marjorie had retrieved the rolling grip, Joan grandly held out her
+hand to the newcomer.</p>
+
+<p>"Freshman?" she inquired, in sweet tones. "So glad to welcome you to
+Hamilton. Do let me help you. A number of my friends and myself are
+making a point of welcoming freshman arrivals. Just<a class="pagenum" name="page_113" id="page_113" title="113"></a> come with me and I
+will see that you are taken care of."</p>
+
+<p>Forgetful for the fraction of an instant of the gracious r&ocirc;le she was
+essaying, Joan flashed Marjorie a contemptuous glance. It said more
+plainly than words: "You are not wanted here."</p>
+
+<p>Well aware of it, Marjorie stood her ground. She was still in possession
+of the bag. Joan's interruption had given her no time either to greet
+the traveler or return her property.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you. I am expecting a cousin of mine to meet me." The girl
+responded courteously, but with a trace of reserve. "Perhaps you know
+her. She is Miss Page of Silverton Hall."</p>
+
+<p>"I know who she is. I believe I have met her." A dull tide of red
+mounted to Joan's cheeks. "So long as you are to be met by <i>her</i> I won't
+intrude. So pleased to have met you, I'm sure." With this hasty and
+insincere assurance, Joan beat a rapid retreat, leaving Marjorie, Jerry
+and the freshman to their own devices.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't believe she can be a very intimate friend of Robin's," calmly
+commented the girl, a slightly mocking light in her pretty blue eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"She isn't," was Jerry's blunt answer, "but we are. If you are willing
+to take our word for it, we shall be glad to see you to Hamilton
+College. I heard yesterday that Robin was back, but we<a class="pagenum" name="page_114" id="page_114" title="114"></a> haven't seen her
+yet. I am Geraldine Macy and this is my friend Marjorie Dean."</p>
+
+<p>"I have heard of both of you from Robin. I spent two weeks with her at
+Cape May this summer. Now I know I am in the hands of friends. Tell you
+the truth, I didn't like that other girl a little bit. I hadn't the
+least intention of toddling along with her. I was glad I had Robin for
+an excuse. I really thought she would meet me. As you haven't seen her
+since you heard she was back, that means she certainly isn't around here
+now. I think that tall, red-faced girl was awfully rude to thrust
+herself upon me when she could plainly see that you were holding my
+bag." She now addressed herself to Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"I made up my mind to hang on to the bag until I had a chance to speak
+to you." Marjorie evaded passing opinion on Joan. "Jerry and I are on
+committee to welcome freshmen. This morning a crowd of juniors came down
+to the station for that purpose. We did not have any luck
+freshie-fishing. The juniors caught them all, with the exception of
+yourself."</p>
+
+<p>"I came near being carried on to the next station," laughed the girl. "I
+dropped my coin purse and couldn't find it. I was frantic, for I had
+stuffed some bank notes into it and naturally didn't want to leave the
+train without it. It had rolled<a class="pagenum" name="page_115" id="page_115" title="115"></a> under the seat just in front of me. By
+the time I found it the train was ready to start and I had to hustle. I
+nearly took a fall on that last step, but saved myself by letting my bag
+go instead of me. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Phyllis Marie
+Moore, at your service, and when we all get past the Miss stage you may
+like to call me Phil. I used to be a terrible tomboy until I grew up. I
+am a rapid fire talker. I love to talk and I have very strong likes and
+dislikes. Let me see. Oh, yes. I say outright whatever I think, whether
+it sets well or not. Those are the main points about me, I guess. You
+may now discard me or take me to your heart; just as you please," she
+ended with a merry little laugh.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall be delighted to begin cherishing you immediately," Marjorie
+gaily assured.</p>
+
+<p>Jerry was quick to add to the assurance. Given also to very positive
+likes and dislikes, she had already taken a great fancy to Robin's
+lively cousin. She had a shrewd opinion that it would not take Phillis
+Marie Moore long to make a prominent place for herself in the freshman
+class.</p>
+
+<p>Leila and Vera now joined them, in company with the two seniors, who
+were going to the campus in Vera's car. Leila claimed the privilege of
+conveying the freshman arrival at Silverton Hall, her destination. Once
+there, Miss Moore's three upper<a class="pagenum" name="page_116" id="page_116" title="116"></a> class guardians were given a vociferous
+greeting by a bevy of jubilant girls.</p>
+
+<p>"You bad old goose!" was Robin Page's affectionate censure as she hugged
+her tall, boyish cousin. "Why didn't you wire me?"</p>
+
+<p>"I did," returned Phyllis. "You'll probably receive it tomorrow. That
+will be so nice, won't it, to get a wire that I am on the way when I'm
+already here?"</p>
+
+<p>"You fell into good hands, anyway," Robin beamed on the trio of Wayland
+Hall girls. "Do you notice anything different about me?" she asked
+anxiously of them all. Very carefully she turned her head so that the
+small knot of hair at the nape of her white neck could be seen. "I am a
+real grown-up young person now!" she proudly exclaimed. "I can do up my
+hair."</p>
+
+<p>"You are that," Leila agreed in her most gallant Irish manner. "It is
+now that we shall have to begin to treat you with proper respect."</p>
+
+<p>"See that you do," retorted Robin. "Right away quick I am going to treat
+you folks to luncheon. You must stay. It will be ready in a few minutes.
+Come up to my room and we can hold an impromptu reception until the bell
+rings. The Silvertonites are all anxious to see you. As sophs we have a
+duty to perform. We must try hard to impress my freshman cousin. Do
+telephone Ronny,<a class="pagenum" name="page_117" id="page_117" title="117"></a> Lucy, Muriel and Vera to come over. You can run 'em
+over in your car, Leila, in a jiffy."</p>
+
+<p>"Many thanks for Vera's and my invitation. We can't accept, for we have
+a luncheon engagement at Baretti's with two seniors. I must be hurrying
+along or I'll be late. I'll send the girls back in my car. Any of them
+can drive it."</p>
+
+<p>Leila took hurried farewell of her friends and drove off at top speed.
+True to her word, it was not long before her car swung into sight again
+driven by Ronny. The three new arrivals were received with the same
+heartiness which had been extended to Marjorie and Jerry. By the time
+they appeared, Robin's large square room was overflowing with girls.</p>
+
+<p>Once more in the genial atmosphere which always pervaded Silverton Hall,
+the petty worries and annoyances of the past week fell away from
+Marjorie. She entertained a momentary regret that she had not chosen
+Silverton Hall as a residence in the beginning. She and her chums would
+have found life so much pleasanter there.</p>
+
+<p>Then the face of kind little Miss Remson rose before her. She realized
+how very fond she had grown of the upright, sorely-tried manager. She
+reflected, too, that, if the Lookouts had not gone to Wayland Hall to
+live, it would have been much harder for Katherine Langly. Neither would
+she<a class="pagenum" name="page_118" id="page_118" title="118"></a> have known Leila, Vera, or Helen Trent intimately. Besides, she
+loved Wayland Hall and its beautiful premises best of all the campus
+houses. It had been Brooke Hamilton's favorite house. Miss Remson had
+once told her this. In spite of the difficulties the Lookouts had
+encountered at the Hall, Marjorie wondered if, perhaps, they had not
+gravitated to it for some beneficient, hidden purpose which only time
+might reveal.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_119" id="page_119" title="119"></a>
+<a name="WINNING_OVER_THE_FRESHMEN_2844" id="WINNING_OVER_THE_FRESHMEN_2844"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+<h3>WINNING OVER THE FRESHMEN.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>As Vera had predicted, Saturday brought to Hamilton a goodly number of
+freshmen. Though the faithful reception committee was strictly on duty
+that day, the Sans relieved them of a large part of their conscientious
+task. They were even more in evidence than on Friday. Greatly to the
+surprise of Marjorie and her companions, they laid themselves out to be
+democratic. They rushed every young woman who bore freshman earmarks
+with a zeal which might have been highly commendable had it been
+sincere. Out of the considerable number of freshman arrivals that
+Saturday, Marjorie and her committee captured not more than half a
+dozen.</p>
+
+<p>"The end of a perfect day, I don't think," grumbled Jerry. The
+five-fifty train had come and gone. Though the seven sophomores had all
+been on duty, not one of them had a freshman to show for it.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm glad it is over," Marie Peyton said wearily,<a class="pagenum" name="page_120" id="page_120" title="120"></a> as the nine disgusted
+workers strolled to their waiting cars. "I suppose the Sans thought we
+would contest the ground with them. I wouldn't be so ill-bred. Come on
+over to the Colonial for dinner. I hereby invite you. We need a little
+pleasant recreation to offset this fiasco. Next year, no committee duty
+for me. I have had enough of it."</p>
+
+<p>"How many freshies do you think they have captured altogether?" asked
+Blanche Scott.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, sixty or seventy, at least," was Elaine Hunter's guess. "They have
+been down to every train for the last two days. Between trains they have
+hung around the Ivy and that other tea shop just below it. I don't
+recall the name. It opened only last week."</p>
+
+<p>"The Lotus," supplied Jerry. "The funny part of it is the way Miss
+Cairns has marched that Miss Walbert around with her. They seem to be
+very chummy.</p>
+
+<p>"Leslie Cairns is trying to popularize Miss Walbert with the freshmen.
+That is why she has been keeping her on hand at all the trains. I am
+sure of it," stated Vera positively. "You just watch and see if I am not
+right. The Sans are going to try to run the freshman class. Otherwise
+they would never have gone to the trouble they have."</p>
+
+<p>"They won't keep it up. Mark what I tell you,<a class="pagenum" name="page_121" id="page_121" title="121"></a> there will be a lot of
+snubbed and very wrathful freshies before the month is out," prophesied
+Leila.</p>
+
+<p>"I hope the grand awakening comes before their class election. I doubt
+it. With Miss Walbert as president of 19&mdash;, the Sans would feel they
+had really put one over on us. I think Phyllis Moore, Robin's cousin,
+would make a fine freshman president." Jerry glanced about her for
+corroboration.</p>
+
+<p>"Why not do some quiet electioneering for her, then," suggested Grace
+Dearborn. "It is just as fair for us to boost a freshie for an office as
+for the Sans. It would be only a helpful elder sister stunt. We need not
+make ourselves prominent. A girl like Miss Moore would be a fine
+influence to her class. This Miss Walbert would not be."</p>
+
+<p>"It isn't really our business," demurred Marjorie, "but I think it would
+be a good thing, nevertheless. We are fighting for democracy. The Sans
+are fighting for popularity and false power. I am willing to do all I
+can to help the cause along. I know Ronny and Muriel and Lucy will feel
+the same. Jerry's here to speak for herself."</p>
+
+<p>The others agreeing to enter into a quiet little plot to put the right
+girl in the freshman presidential chair, how they should go about it
+formed the main topic of conversation at Marie's dinner at the quaint
+Colonial that evening. All sorts of ways and means were suggested, only
+to be abandoned.<a class="pagenum" name="page_122" id="page_122" title="122"></a> It was impossible to proceed until they had come into
+more of a knowledge of the freshmen themselves. Each, however, pledged
+herself to make a point of getting acquainted with the freshmen in the
+house where she resided and sounding them on their policies, with a view
+toward giving them a hint in the right direction.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed to Marjorie that the next few days following her strenuous
+service on committee were days of undiluted peace. Busy with her study
+programme she forgot, for the time being, that there ever were any such
+persons as the Sans Soucians. She had decided on French, chemistry,
+Greek tragedy, Horace's odes and spherical trigonometry for the fall
+term, a programme that meant hard study. Since coming to Hamilton her
+active interest in chemistry had increased and she planned to carry the
+study of it through her entire college course. The laboratory at Sanford
+High School had been well equipped, but the Hamilton laboratories were
+all that scientific progress could devise. Marjorie hailed her chemistry
+hours with the keenest pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>The other four Lookouts were hardly less occupied than herself in
+arranging their college affairs for the fall term. With a year of
+college behind them it was much easier to buckle down to study and enjoy
+it than it had been when they had first entered Hamilton. Girl-like,
+they loved the good<a class="pagenum" name="page_123" id="page_123" title="123"></a> times college offered, yet they were as quick to
+appreciate the rare educational advantages Hamilton afforded and make
+the most of them. The average college girl takes the utmost pride in
+keeping to the fore in her studies. In this the Lookouts were no
+exception.</p>
+
+<p>Not forgetting their pledge to get acquainted speedily with the freshmen
+in their own house, the Lookouts found themselves completely blocked in
+their well-meant design by the Sans. To begin with, there were only four
+freshmen at Wayland Hall. These the Sans completely monopolized. As yet,
+no one at the Hall outside the Sans had a speaking acquaintance with
+them.</p>
+
+<p>Silverton Hall was also at a disadvantage by reason of the few vacancies
+there. It had been almost entirely a freshman house the previous year.
+It was now practically sophomore. A few girls, having made changes on
+account of friends in other houses, there had been eight vacancies and
+no more. Phyllis Moore had been fortunate enough to secure board there.
+The seven other freshmen had turned out to be delightful girls with no
+snobbish notions. Seven democrats in a class of one hundred ten, with
+the politics of the other hundred and two doubtful, did not point to a
+speedy election of Phyllis to the freshman presidency.</p>
+
+<p>"We might as well give up boosting Phil as a<a class="pagenum" name="page_124" id="page_124" title="124"></a> hopeless job," Jerry
+remarked to Marjorie one evening, as the two girls were putting away
+their books preparatory to retiring. Both made it a rule not to talk
+over outside matters until next day's recitations had been prepared. "It
+is two weeks since we planned the fateful boost and none of us have made
+much headway."</p>
+
+<p>"I know it." Marjorie looked up regretfully from the scattered sheets of
+the finished theme which she was collecting. "The trouble is, so many of
+the freshies are at Alston Terrace. Acasia House has about twenty. Ethel
+Laird says they are a fairly affable set, but Miss Burton and Miss
+Elster are doing their best to spoil them. There are as many as
+twenty-five freshies off the campus entirely. Miss Humphrey told me
+that. There were twelve registrations from the town of Hamilton this
+year. Of course those students go home after recitations."</p>
+
+<p>"Not much can be done when a class is so scattered. I mean by us. Let me
+count 'em up. There are twenty-five off the campus, eight at Silverton
+Hall," enumerated Jerry; "four here, forty-four at Alston Terrace. Think
+of that. That makes one hundred and one. Now where are the other nine?
+At Craig Hall, perhaps, or Houghton House. You see Miss Walbert has the
+advantage over Phil as she is at Alston Terrace, the freshie center."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie nodded. "It doesn't look very promising<a class="pagenum" name="page_125" id="page_125" title="125"></a> for Phil," she said.
+"Robin would love to have Phil win the presidency. She is so proud of
+her. The Silverton Hall crowd adore her already. She is a dear. She is
+so full of fun. I like her frank, boyish ways. Leila told me today that
+the Sans are planning some kind of party for the freshmen. She heard it
+somewhere on the campus. I don't know who told her."</p>
+
+<p>"That is to taffy the freshmen so they will vote for Miss Walbert," was
+Jerry's instant uncharitable conclusion. "They haven't held their class
+election yet. When is this party to be, I wonder?"</p>
+
+<p>"Leila doesn't know. If the Sans do make a party for the freshmen I
+doubt if all of them will attend it. It won't be at all like the regular
+freshman dance. Still," she continued reflectively, "if the Sans take
+that much trouble for them, they ought to respond."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; I guess that's so. The freshies haven't been here long enough to
+know the charming Sans as they really are. In their infant verdancy they
+will probably look upon it as a great honor. They'll probably be more
+enlightened after they have attended it," Jerry added with a wicked
+little grin.</p>
+
+<p>Two days later it became circulated about the campus that the freshmen
+had been invited by the Sans to attend a picnic, instead of a party, to
+be given at Pine Crest, a wooded height about five<a class="pagenum" name="page_126" id="page_126" title="126"></a> miles east of
+Hamilton College. For many years it had been a favorite college picnic
+ground. Hardly a Saturday passed, when the weather was good, without an
+invasion, great or small, of its fragrant, pine-shaded premises. It was
+an ideal spot for an al fresco luncheon. As it could be reached by
+automobile, it was all the more popular with the Hamilton students.</p>
+
+<p>The certainty of the rumor was made manifest to Marjorie when, on
+Wednesday evening after dinner, she and Jerry heard a timid knock on
+their door. Jerry, hastening to open the door, their caller proved to be
+Anne Towne.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, good evening, Miss Towne!" Jerry extended a hospitable hand. "So
+glad to see you. We wondered what had become of you. We knew you owed us
+a visit and were waiting for you to pay it." Jerry ushered the wren-like
+freshman into the room and offered her its most comfortable chair.</p>
+
+<p>"I have been intending to call, but I&mdash;" Miss Towne paused, looking
+rather confused. "You see&mdash;I&mdash;didn't know but I might intrude. You girls
+are so different from myself," she suddenly blurted out, as though
+anxious to bare her diffident soul to her dainty hostesses and have it
+over with. "I mean different because you aren't poor and have lots of
+friends and can entertain them and all that. I know it is the custom at
+college for the upper class girls<a class="pagenum" name="page_127" id="page_127" title="127"></a> to be kind to entering freshmen. I
+didn't care to presume on your kindness. I hope you understand me." She
+flushed painfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Nonsense," scoffed Jerry sturdily. "We aren't a bit haughty. We want
+you to be our friend and hope to see you often. You mustn't think about
+such things. Just go along with your head held high. If people don't
+like you for your own merits, they are not worth cultivating."</p>
+
+<p>"I believe you couldn't have been so very much afraid of Jeremiah's and
+my great dignity or you wouldn't have dared come and see us tonight."
+Marjorie smiled encouragement at the still embarrassed girl.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps I wasn't really." Marjorie's winning smile communicated itself
+to the other girl. Her tired little face brightened wonderfully. "I am
+sure I won't be afraid ever again. I would love to call both of you my
+friends."</p>
+
+<p>"Do so; do so." Jerry's instant response in a pompous tone made Miss
+Towne laugh. Marjorie thought her pretty when she laughed. Her teeth
+were unusually white and even, and her face broke into charming little
+lines of amusement.</p>
+
+<p>"I will," she promised. "I came to you tonight for advice. You were all
+so kind to me the other day, I thought you wouldn't mind my asking you
+something. I have received an invitation to a picnic<a class="pagenum" name="page_128" id="page_128" title="128"></a> next Saturday to
+be given to the freshman class. Here it is."</p>
+
+<p>Miss Towne opened a small handbag and drew from it a heavy white
+envelope. The faint odor of perfume still clung to it. Drawing from it a
+sheet of paper to match, she handed the latter to Marjorie. It read:</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Miss Towne:</span></p>
+
+<p>"The Sans Soucians will be glad to see you at a picnic, to be given in
+honor of the freshman class next Saturday afternoon, the weather
+permitting, at Pine Crest. Please meet the other members of the class in
+front of Science Hall, at half-past one o'clock. The trip will be made
+by automobile and the Sans Soucians will entertain at luncheon.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:right'>"Yours cordially,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
+"<span class="smcap">Dulciana Vale</span>, Secy. Sans Soucians."</p></div>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_129" id="page_129" title="129"></a>
+<a name="THE_DIFFERENCE_IN_PICNIC_PLANS_3083" id="THE_DIFFERENCE_IN_PICNIC_PLANS_3083"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+<h3>THE DIFFERENCE IN PICNIC PLANS.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Marjorie studied the invitation in silence. Then she handed it to Jerry.
+The latter read it and said "Humph!" in a disgusted tone.</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't know what I ought to do about it," broke in Miss Towne
+anxiously. "Who are the Sans Soucians? I've read quite a little of
+college sororities. I suppose they are a sorority. Would they be
+offended if I didn't go? I can't really spare the time. I do my own
+laundering on Saturday afternoon. The landlady allows me to use the
+kitchen. I don't mind telling you girls that. I would rather not give it
+as an excuse to the Sans Soucians, though. Perhaps I would not be missed
+if I didn't go. Do you think I would be? Are you girls members of the
+Sans Soucians?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, hardly!" Jerry spoke on the impulse of the moment. Miss Towne
+looked at her with increasing anxiety. Jerry's response was not
+indicative of flattery to the Sans Soucians.</p>
+
+<p>"The Sans Soucians are a private club of eighteen<a class="pagenum" name="page_130" id="page_130" title="130"></a> juniors," Marjorie
+quickly explained. "They live here at the Hall. They are all girls from
+very wealthy families and they entertain a good deal among themselves.
+They have taken an unusual interest in the freshmen since they came back
+to college. We heard that they intended to give a picnic in honor of the
+freshies. I believe I would try to go if I were you. It will be a good
+opportunity for you to meet the other members of your class. Besides,
+Pine Crest is such a beautiful spot. The afternoon in the fresh air will
+do you good."</p>
+
+<p>Jerry gazed at Marjorie, a slight frown puckering her forehead. It was a
+fair-minded answer and just like Marjorie. Still, it went against her
+grain to help the Sans' cause along in the slightest degree.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you met any of your classmates yet?" she asked abruptly. Without a
+little freshman support Jerry was not sanguine of Miss Towne's enjoyment
+of the picnic. The Sans' hospitality was not to be trusted.</p>
+
+<p>"I know four girls a little who live several houses below me. They have
+the third floor of the house and do light house-keeping. They are very
+much pleased with the invitation. I wish they would ask me to go with
+them. I hate to go alone. I will accept, though, so long as you think it
+best." She turned to Marjorie with a kind of meek trust that touched the
+latter.<a class="pagenum" name="page_131" id="page_131" title="131"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps these other freshmen will ask you," was Marjorie's hopeful
+rejoinder. "If they shouldn't you will see them at the picnic and be
+with them anyway, perhaps. I know an even better plan. Suppose we get
+the rest of the girls, Jerry, and go over to Silverton Hall. We can
+introduce Miss Towne to the freshies there and she will be sure to have
+company at the picnic."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, Marvelous Manager. I'll go and round them up." Jerry rose
+and promptly disappeared in search of her chums.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't think I ought to go," demurred Muriel, when invited. "I have a
+hundred lines of French prose to translate. It's terribly hard, too."</p>
+
+<p>"Translate it when you come back," suggested Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"I see myself doing it. It is half-past seven now. We'll be back here
+about ten minutes before the ten-thirty bell. That will give me a lot of
+time to translate a hundred lines. Now won't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, come along. I'll see that you get back by nine-thirty, even if we
+have to start home ahead of the others," glibly promised Jerry.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll see to it myself," declared Muriel. "I intend to be a stickler for
+duty this night. Go and get Ronny and Lucy while I do my hair over. It's
+all falling down. I will meet you down stairs."</p>
+
+<p>Lucy and Ronny also raised weak objections on<a class="pagenum" name="page_132" id="page_132" title="132"></a> the ground of unprepared
+recitations. Nevertheless they shut up their books with alacrity.
+Neither cared to be left out of a visit to Silverton Hall.</p>
+
+<p>Presently the six girls were crossing the campus under the autumn stars.
+It was a soft October night and none of the Lookouts had donned hats or
+wraps. Walking between Marjorie and Ronny, Miss Towne began partly to
+understand how very delightful some girls could be. She had never had an
+intimate girl friend and she thought it remarkable that these
+self-possessed, beautifully dressed girls should be so ready to show her
+every kindness.</p>
+
+<p>"You dear things!" was Robin Page's greeting as she fairly pranced into
+the living room at Silverton Hall not more than three minutes after her
+callers' arrival. "You certainly are unexpected but awfully welcome.
+Come up to my room this minute."</p>
+
+<p>Robin smiled in friendly fashion at Miss Towne, although she had never
+met her. Immediately she had been introduced to the lonely freshman, and
+Marjorie had stated the object of their call, Robin said heartily:</p>
+
+<p>"I will go and hunt up our freshies as soon as you are up in my room.
+Phil is there, of course. She rooms with me, you know. She swears she
+isn't going to that picnic. I don't know what the others<a class="pagenum" name="page_133" id="page_133" title="133"></a> think about
+it. Once get them together, it will be a good chance to find out."</p>
+
+<p>Ushered into Robin's room, the Lookouts and their charge found Phyllis
+looking girlishly pretty in a flowered silk kimono. She received them in
+the pleasant, straightforward way they so greatly admired in her and
+proceeded to show an especial friendliness to Miss Towne.</p>
+
+<p>Presently the murmur of voices outside announced that Robin had been
+successful in her quest. In fact she had found all seven of the freshmen
+in their rooms and had rushed them a la negligee to her own.</p>
+
+<p>"Here we are," she breezily announced, "and not a freshie missing. I'll
+proceed to the great introduction act. Then, make yourselves at home."</p>
+
+<p>As both groups of girls were bent on being friendly, a buzz of
+conversation soon arose. Under cover of it Robin said to Marjorie: "What
+do you think about the Sans' new stunt? You know just why they are doing
+it and so do all of us who fought out that basket-ball affair with them
+last year. Their motive isn't a worthy one. Still we really can't tell
+the freshies that. Phil understands matters. That's why she doesn't care
+to go. I know you want Miss Towne to go, or you would not have brought
+her over here tonight to get acquainted with our freshies. She will be
+safe from<a class="pagenum" name="page_134" id="page_134" title="134"></a> snubs with our girls. They are all fine. Too bad, but I don't
+trust the Sans even to do this stunt in a nice way. They will be sure to
+get haughty and hurt some freshie's feelings before their picnic is
+over."</p>
+
+<p>"I have no faith in them, but it would be hardly fair not to give them
+the benefit of the doubt," returned Marjorie earnestly. "I wish Phil
+would go. It would be a good opportunity for the freshmen to see what a
+fine president they might have in her. She is so individual. I think she
+would be popular in her class in spite of the Sans' influence."</p>
+
+<p>"So do I. You ask her. Maybe she will change her mind for you." Robin
+looked concernedly to where her cousin sat talking animatedly to Muriel
+and Miss Towne.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, however, had already broached the subject of the picnic to
+Phyllis.</p>
+
+<p>"I am so glad to meet all you girls. Miss Dean suggested coming over on
+account of that picnic for the freshmen," Miss Towne had remarked
+innocently. "I had made up my mind not to go, but she thought I ought to
+and said if I met some other freshmen I would not have to go alone. I
+don't live on the campus so I haven't much opportunity of meeting other
+students."</p>
+
+<p>"I see," nodded Phyllis. A swift tide of color had risen to her cheeks.
+From the instant she had<a class="pagenum" name="page_135" id="page_135" title="135"></a> set eyes on Marjorie Dean she had adored her.
+She now felt as though she had been lacking in true college spirit. If
+Marjorie thought Miss Towne should attend the picnic, undoubtedly she
+must think that the rest of the freshmen ought to do likewise.</p>
+
+<p>"I will play especial escort to you at the picnic," she now laughingly
+offered. "I hadn't intended to go either, but I have changed my mind.
+Oh, Marjorie," she called across the room, "I'll take care of Miss Towne
+at the picnic."</p>
+
+<p>"Will you, truly?" The eyes of the two girls met. A silent message was
+exchanged. "Then she will be sure to have a nice time," was what
+Marjorie put into words.</p>
+
+<p>Robin and Marjorie also exchanged sly smiles. Each suspected that humble
+little Miss Towne was responsible for Phyllis's sudden change of mind.
+More, it was apparent that Phyllis had taken one of her sudden likings
+to the unassuming freshman.</p>
+
+<p>Later, Robin found an opportunity to confide to Marjorie that she didn't
+know how it had happened, for Phil was terribly obstinate when once she
+had set her mind against a thing. Nor did Marjorie know until long
+afterward that she had been responsible for a decision on Phyllis's part
+which was the beginning of a warm friendship between Phyllis and Anna
+Towne.<a class="pagenum" name="page_136" id="page_136" title="136"></a></p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the prospective hostesses of Saturday's outing were spending
+the evening in Leslie Cairns' room squabbling over their plans for the
+picnic. They could not agree on the refreshments, the amusements, or, in
+fact, anything pertaining to the affair. The truth of the matter was
+they were already tired of their beneficent project. They had never made
+a practice of unselfishly trying to please others, and the process bade
+fair to be too difficult for their infinitely small natures.</p>
+
+<p>For once, during the wrangling that went on, Leslie Cairns honestly
+tried to keep her temper. The straw that broke the particular camel's
+back in her case, however, was an extended argument between Dulcie Vale
+and Natalie Weyman regarding the refreshments. These two, with Harriet
+Stephens, had been appointed to look after the luncheon. Harriet lazily
+expressed herself as indifferent to what the menu should be, provided it
+was fit to eat.</p>
+
+<p>"Cut out this scrapping and get down to business, you two," finally
+ordered Leslie in her roughest tones. Followed an insulting rebuke from
+her that brought a flush to both the wranglers' cheeks. When thoroughly
+exasperated Leslie spared no one's feelings. "You decide on what to have
+<i>right now</i> and make a list of it. Trot it over to the Colonial early
+tomorrow morning. If you leave it until even tomorrow night they may
+refuse to handle<a class="pagenum" name="page_137" id="page_137" title="137"></a> it. Remember it will take time to pack a luncheon for
+one hundred and twenty-eight persons."</p>
+
+<p>"Dulcie wants to serve a regular six-course dinner out in that neck of
+the woods," sputtered Natalie. "I am not in favor of such extravagance.
+It will cost us enough to have sandwiches, salads, relishes and sweets.
+Then there's coffee, chocolate, and imported ginger ale besides. I am
+not going to spend my whole month's allowance on a feed for those
+greenies."</p>
+
+<p>"If we expect to make an impression on the freshies we ought to do
+things in good style," Dulcie hotly contested. "I don't care how much
+money it costs me. I have plenty of coin. The trouble with you Nat, is
+you're stingy. You buy everything expensive for yourself, but you are
+always broke when it comes to treating."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll never forgive you for that, Dulcie Vale," was Natalie's wrathful
+retort. "I think you are too&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That will be <i>all</i>," Leslie cut in sternly. "I said cut out the
+scrapping, didn't I? Either do as I say or get out of here. We can run
+the picnic minus either of you. Nat is right for once. Why should we
+spend a fortune on this affair?"</p>
+
+<p>Knowing that Leslie would have no scruples about barring them both from
+further part in the picnic, they sullenly subsided. Dulcie freezingly<a class="pagenum" name="page_138" id="page_138" title="138"></a>
+accepted the list of eatables Natalie had made up and temporary peace
+was restored. Natalie bade Leslie a very cool goodnight a little later
+when the session broke up. She was hurt and angry over Leslie's brutal
+frankness. For an instant she wished she might be entirely free of
+Leslie's domineering sway. It was one of those moments when a faint
+stirring of a better nature made her long for harmony and peace. Her
+ignoble side was too greatly in the ascendency however to make her
+distaste for Leslie Cairns and her tyranny more than momentary.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_139" id="page_139" title="139"></a>
+<a name="A_RECKLESS_DRIVER_3316" id="A_RECKLESS_DRIVER_3316"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+<h3>A RECKLESS DRIVER.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"The Sans have certainly had one beautiful day for their picnic, but if
+they don't put in an appearance pretty soon they will be caught in a
+rain." Seated beside Marjorie and Lucy Warner in the big porch swing,
+Jerry squinted at the rapidly clouding sky.</p>
+
+<p>While the day had been warm and moderately sunny, dark clouds had been
+looming up here and there in the sky since four o'clock. Scattered at
+first, they had gradually banked solidly in the west, obscuring the
+sunset and promising rain before nightfall.</p>
+
+<p>"What time is it, Jeremiah?" asked Lucy. "I promised to meet Katherine
+here on the veranda at five-thirty. She left her handbag at Lillian's
+last night and we are going to walk over there before dinner."</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Luciferous!" Jerry fixed Lucy with an amazed eye. "Can I believe
+that you and your<a class="pagenum" name="page_140" id="page_140" title="140"></a> precious watch have parted company even for a brief
+half hour!"</p>
+
+<p>Lucy giggled. Her extreme fondness for the wrist watch Ronny had given
+her was well known to her chums.</p>
+
+<p>"I broke the crystal," she confessed. "It dropped from my hand the other
+night on the lavatory floor. I miss it terribly you had better believe.
+It will be fixed tomorrow, thank goodness."</p>
+
+<p>"Surprised at such carelessness. Ahem!" Jerry teased. "If you want to
+know the time, it is twenty-seven minutes past five. Your kindred spirit
+should appear in three minutes."</p>
+
+<p>"Here she comes now." Marjorie had spied Katherine coming up the walk.</p>
+
+<p>"Did you think I was going to be late?" Katherine called from the bottom
+step. "I had an awful time looking up some data at the library. I just
+left there and ran half the way here. It looks like rain, but, if we
+walk fast, we can go over to Wenderblatt's and back before it starts.
+Want to go along, Marjorie and Jerry?"</p>
+
+<p>"I might as well. I've nothing else to do before dinner. Come on,
+Jeremiah. A fast walk before dinner will be a splendid appetizer."
+Marjorie rose from the swing and brushed down her wrinkled linen skirt.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't need an appetizer. I'm famished now.<a class="pagenum" name="page_141" id="page_141" title="141"></a> Lead me on. I may lose half
+a pound. That will be something attempted, something done, as our friend
+H. W. Longfellow sagely remarks in the 'Village Blacksmith.'"</p>
+
+<p>Without further lingering the four girls left the veranda and started
+down the drive at a swift walk. The Wenderblatt's residence was not far
+from the campus, but the sky was growing more threatening.</p>
+
+<p>"It begins to look as though we would have to run all the way back to
+the Hall or get a ducking," warned Jerry as they neared Lillian's home.
+"We can't stop to talk, girls. We had better wait for Katherine at the
+gate. If the whole gang of us goes up to the house we will lose time."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I want to be back at the Hall for an early dinner. I must study
+like sixty this evening, for I won't have a minute tomorrow. Chapel in
+the morning, and I have promised to go over to Houghton House tomorrow
+afternoon with Leila. Then we are all going to Muriel's and Hortense's
+Sunday night spread. Sunday seems the shortest day in the week,"
+Marjorie ended with a little regretful gesture.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll be back directly." Coming to the high gate of the ornamental iron
+fence which inclosed the professor's property, Katherine clanged it
+hurriedly after her and sped up the walk to the house.</p>
+
+<p>True to her word it was not more than ten minutes<a class="pagenum" name="page_142" id="page_142" title="142"></a> before she rejoined
+them, her handbag swinging from her arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Lillian was so sorry you wouldn't come up. She invited us all to dinner.
+I told her we simply must hurry back to the Hall. She&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>A sudden deep rumble of thunder drowned Katherine's speech. It was
+followed by a sharp blinding flash of lightning.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better run for it," counseled Jerry. "There will be more thunder
+and lightning before the rain really starts. Don't let a little thing
+like thunder worry you, children."</p>
+
+<p>By common consent the quartette broke into a gentle run. Soon they were
+on the highway and not more than a block from the campus wall. As they
+neared the east gate a terrific reverberating peal of thunder rent the
+air. So completely did it obliterate all other sound that none of the
+four heard the purr of a motor behind them, driven at excessive speed.</p>
+
+<p>"Look out!" A sense of impending danger warning Jerry to turn her head,
+even in full flight, her voice rose in a sharp scream.</p>
+
+<p>Her friends heard it dimly as the speeding car bore down upon them.
+Jerry made a wild dive out of harm's way, dragging Marjorie, who was
+nearest to her, with her. Lucy, who was on the outer edge of the road
+made a stumbling step backward.<a class="pagenum" name="page_143" id="page_143" title="143"></a> Katherine&mdash;&mdash; Through a mist of horror
+the three girls saw the machine catch her, flinging her off the road.
+They heard cries issue from the black and white roadster as it shot down
+the road.</p>
+
+<p>"Katherine! Oh, do you suppose she is dead?" Already Lucy was kneeling
+on the ground beside the silent form in an agony of suspense. "She was
+almost in the middle of the road. I didn't have time to warn her. I
+didn't hear it until it ran her down." Lucy's face was white and set.</p>
+
+<p>"Her heart's beating." Marjorie knelt at Katherine's other side, her
+hand inside Katherine's pongee blouse. "Better go over her for broken
+bones, Lucy." Marjorie was trembling violently though her voice was
+steady.</p>
+
+<p>"It was Leslie Cairns who did that!" Jerry hotly accused. "I wonder if
+she'll have the decency to come back. She must know she ran some one
+down. I heard the girls in her car scream. I guess she turned in at the
+gate. Keep off the road, girls. Here come the rest of the picnickers.
+One accident is enough for today. She was speeding. That's why she was
+so far ahead of the others. I shall hail this first car and make 'em
+take Katherine up to the Hall."</p>
+
+<p>Jerry did not need to hail the car. In the fading daylight the girl at
+the wheel, who happened to be<a class="pagenum" name="page_144" id="page_144" title="144"></a> Margaret Wayne, brought her automobile to
+a stop almost even with the roadside group.</p>
+
+<p>"What has happened?" she called out sharply.</p>
+
+<p>"Your friend Miss Cairns just ran down Miss Langly," returned Jerry
+grimly. "She isn't dead, but we don't know how badly she may be hurt.
+May we have the use of your car to take her to the Hall?"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly," came the response in frightened tones. Next instant the
+seven occupants of the car had piled out of it and gathered around the
+still unconscious girl.</p>
+
+<p>A swift patter of raindrops struck the group, beating gently on
+Katherine's white, upturned face. Marjorie had now lifted her head to an
+easy position on her lap.</p>
+
+<p>"Have any of you smelling salts?" she inquired calmly of the frightened
+circle, "or perhaps you have a water bottle with you."</p>
+
+<p>"The luncheon things are in one of the cars away back. We have no water
+with us. Won't the rain help to revive her?" Margaret Wayne asked
+lamely.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall not give it time to do that," Marjorie returned dryly. "If you
+will help us lift her we will get her into the car at once. It is only
+two or three minutes' drive to the Hall."</p>
+
+<p>The others of the party being freshmen, they willingly sprang to
+Marjorie's assistance. Raised<a class="pagenum" name="page_145" id="page_145" title="145"></a> from the ground, Katherine opened her
+eyes and groaned a little.</p>
+
+<p>"What&mdash;happened? Oh, I&mdash;remember. My back! It&mdash;hurts&mdash;so." She closed
+her eyes wearily.</p>
+
+<p>Slender though she was, it became no easy matter to place her in the
+tonneau of the automobile. The credit of the undertaking went to
+Marjorie and Jerry, who exerted their young strength to the utmost for
+their injured friend. By this time a procession of automobiles
+containing the returning picnickers was drawn up along the road. The
+sound of excited voices from within these cars bade Marjorie lose no
+time.</p>
+
+<p>"Will you please drive on before the others come up?" she entreated.
+"They know now that something has happened. We ought not to have a crowd
+around. I hope your passengers won't mind walking to the campus."</p>
+
+<p>"Not a bit of it," assured two or three of the freshmen who had heard
+her remarks.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you." Marjorie flashed the group of girls one of her beautiful,
+kindly smiles which none of them forgot in a hurry.</p>
+
+<p>Alarmed though she was by the accident, Margaret was half resentful of
+Marjorie's calm manner. Still she had no choice but to do as she was
+requested. She inwardly wished that Leslie had had<a class="pagenum" name="page_146" id="page_146" title="146"></a> the prudence to
+drive moderately. This affair was likely to make trouble for them all.</p>
+
+<p>"Ready?" she interrogated, turning in the driver's seat to Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>An affirmative and she started her car for the Hall. Just at the gate
+they met the black and white roadster. Leslie was its sole occupant now.</p>
+
+<p>"Hello!" she hailed. "Is that you, Margaret? What was the matter back
+there? Do you know?" Leslie leaned far out of her car in the gathering
+twilight.</p>
+
+<p>"Your roadster hit Miss Langly. I don't know how it happened. She is in
+my car. Her friends are with her. You'd better go on down and tell the
+rest what has happened. They have stopped back there."</p>
+
+<p>"What?" This time Leslie's pet interjection came involuntarily and with
+a tinge of fear. "I saw a bunch of girls, but I was sure I didn't hit
+any of them. See you at the Hall." Leslie started her car without
+further words.</p>
+
+<p>"She has nerve!" muttered Jerry. "She thinks she is going to slide out
+of this easily. Well, she can't lay this outrage to anyone else. She had
+no business to be exceeding the speed limit. She never sounded a horn,
+either. Poor Kathie! I hope she isn't badly hurt."</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I&mdash;am all right, Jerry." Katherine had<a class="pagenum" name="page_147" id="page_147" title="147"></a> heard. "The car just brushed
+me; hard&mdash;enough to throw me&mdash;on my back. That's all."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all," repeated Lucy indignantly. "Enough, I should say. Musn't
+talk much, Kathie. You'll be in your room and in bed right away."</p>
+
+<p>"Glad of it. So&mdash;tired," mumbled Katharine, and closed her eyes again.</p>
+
+<p>The injured girl was carried into the Hall just as a driving rain began
+to descend. Miss Remson promptly telephoned for her own physician and
+bustled about, an efficient first aid, until he arrived.</p>
+
+<p>Established temporarily on the living room davenport, Katherine braced
+up wonderfully under the wise little manager's treatment. To her plea
+that she could walk upstairs to her room, if assisted by two of her
+friends, Miss Remson would not listen.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait until the doctor comes, my dear," she insisted. "He will know
+what's best for you."</p>
+
+<p>News of the accident having spread through the Hall, girls hurried from
+all parts of the house to the living room, where they were promptly
+headed off by Lucy, Marjorie and Jerry from intruding upon Katherine.
+Thus far neither the Sans nor the four freshmen who roomed at the Hall
+had put in an appearance.</p>
+
+<p>The arrival of Doctor Thurston, a large, kindly man of about forty, was
+a relief to all concerned.<a class="pagenum" name="page_148" id="page_148" title="148"></a> Very gently he lifted Katherine in his
+strong arms and carried her upstairs to her room.</p>
+
+<p>"She has had a narrow escape," he told her anxious friends, a little
+later. "Her back is sprained. It is a wonder it was not broken. Two
+weeks in bed and she will be all right again. Students who drive their
+own cars should go slowly along the campus part of the road. There are
+always girls in plenty on foot. The one who ran her down must have had
+very poor policy not even to sound a horn."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_149" id="page_149" title="149"></a>
+<a name="A_PAINFUL_INTERVIEW_3559" id="A_PAINFUL_INTERVIEW_3559"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+<h3>A PAINFUL INTERVIEW.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>As a result of a private conference among the Lookouts that evening, a
+trained nurse arrived on Sunday afternoon to look after their injured
+friend. Ronny, with her usual magnificent generosity, wished to take the
+expenses for Katherine's care and treatment upon herself. To this her
+chums would not hear. "We all love Kathie," Muriel declared. "I think we
+ought to divide her expenses among us." Lucy Warner was particularly
+pleased with Muriel's proposal. She had earned an extra hundred dollars
+that summer by doing typing in the evenings. She felt, therefore, that
+she held the right to offer a portion of it in the cause of her
+particular friend.</p>
+
+<p>"It seems too bad to go on having good times with poor Kathie so sick,"
+deplored Marjorie, as she and Jerry softly closed the door of the
+latter's room after a brief visit to her following their return from
+Houghton House.<a class="pagenum" name="page_150" id="page_150" title="150"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I know it, but what good will it do us to cut out recreation, so long
+as we can't spend the time with her?" argued Jerry. "We know she is all
+right and going to get well. It isn't as though she wasn't expected to
+live. The nurse said a lot of the girls had come to her door to inquire
+for her. She wouldn't let any of 'em see her. I think the Sans have been
+on the job. They are probably scared for fear Kathie will make it hot
+for Leslie Cairns when she is well again."</p>
+
+<p>"She wouldn't." Marjorie shook her curly head. "Neither would I, if I
+were in her place. It ought to be a lesson to the Sans without any
+further fuss about it. They are the only ones who drive faster than they
+should."</p>
+
+<p>"If Miss Cairns had run down a citizen of the town of Hamilton then
+there would have been a commotion. It is a very good thing for her that
+a traffic officer wasn't around. He would have arrested her, sure as
+fate. I wish one had been on the scene," declared Jerry, with a trace of
+vindictiveness.</p>
+
+<p>That the Sans were manifestly uneasy over the accident was evidenced by
+their gathering in Leslie Cairns' room that afternoon for a confab.
+Leslie herself hid whatever trepidation she was feeling under an air of
+cool bravado. She listened to all that her companions had to say on the
+subject without<a class="pagenum" name="page_151" id="page_151" title="151"></a> vouchsafing more than an occasional curt reply.</p>
+
+<p>"Really, Les, you don't seem to understand that you may get into an
+awful mess over running down that beggardly dig!" Joan Myers at length
+exclaimed in sharp irritation. "Suppose the whole thing is put before
+President Matthews or the Board. We may all lose the privilege of having
+our cars at college. I read of a college out west the other day where
+that happened as the result of an accident to a student."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, forget it!" Leslie waved a derisive hand. "I shall fix things O.K.
+Don't make any mistake about that. I'll send this beggar a whopping old
+basket of fruit tomorrow and a handsome box of flowers. You girls had
+better part with a little change in the same cause. Anyway, I have
+pretty solid ground to stand on. Who is going to prove that I didn't
+sound a horn? It couldn't be heard above the thunder. If I drove fast, I
+had reason for it. Why should I drive my car at a crawl and be caught in
+the storm? Was there a cop around to say I was speeding? There was not.
+I certainly won't ever admit it. It was simply one of those unfortunate
+accidents. So sorry, I'm sure. What?" Leslie finished in a high, mocking
+treble.</p>
+
+<p>It raised a laugh, as she intended it should. Her companions began to
+breathe more freely. Leslie could certainly be relied upon to clear
+herself.<a class="pagenum" name="page_152" id="page_152" title="152"></a></p>
+
+<p>Before evening of the following Monday Katherine's room resembled a
+combination fruit and flower market. Not only the Sans but her real
+friends and impersonal sympathizers also sent in their friendly
+tributes. Her condition much improved, she asked particularly to see
+Marjorie and Lucy Warner.</p>
+
+<p>"Not more than fifteen minutes, please," said the nurse, as the two
+girls tip-toed into the sick room shortly before dinner.</p>
+
+<p>"I wanted to see you so much." Katherine smiled a trifle wanly. "You
+were so good to me when first I was hurt. I remember the whole thing. I
+won't try to talk of that now. Later, when you can stay longer. There is
+something I wish you would do for me. Nurse read me the names of the
+cards on the flowers and fruit. The Sans sent a good deal of it. I&mdash;I&mdash;"
+a thread of color crept into Katherine's pale cheeks. "I don't want it.
+I can't bear it in the room. I understand them so well. I don't care to
+be harsh, but I would like you to take all of it except a basket of
+fruit and a few flowers and send it to the Hamilton Home for Old Folks.
+It is on Carpenter Street. It would please them so much. I can't eat
+one-tenth of the fruit before it spoils, and you girls don't want it, I
+know. If it is mostly all sent away, then no one can feel hurt, neither
+the Sans nor my real friends. The<a class="pagenum" name="page_153" id="page_153" title="153"></a> Sans need not be afraid. I am not
+going to make Miss Cairns any trouble. She has asked twice to see me. I
+shall see her when I am a little stronger and tell her so."</p>
+
+<p>"That is sweet in you, Kathie," Marjorie approved. She referred not only
+to Katherine's lenience of spirit toward Leslie Cairns, but to her
+proposed thoughtful disposal of the fruit and flowers. "I'll ask Leila
+to take your gifts to the old folks in her car tomorrow. I know she will
+be glad to be able to do something for you. I understand how you feel
+about&mdash;well&mdash;some things. I believe I'd feel the same if I were in your
+place."</p>
+
+<p>"I wanted to be excused from my classes and be your nurse, Kathie," Lucy
+solemnly assured her chum, her green eyes full of devotion. "Ronny said
+'no' that a trained nurse would be best. I miss you dreadfully. Let me
+come and see you every day, won't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course, you dear goose," Katherine assured, her blue eyes misting
+over with sudden tears. It was so wonderful to be loved and missed. "I
+shall not be in bed for two whole weeks. I can sit up a little now and I
+am so strong I shall be walking about the room by the last of this week.
+I am not used to being an invalid and I don't intend to get used to
+being one."</p>
+
+<p>Naturally sturdy of constitution, the end of the<a class="pagenum" name="page_154" id="page_154" title="154"></a> ensuing week found
+Katherine able to make little journeys about her room. It was not until
+the Friday following her accident that she felt equal to seeing Leslie
+Cairns. The nurse had informed her on Thursday that Miss Langly would be
+able to see her for a few minutes on Friday afternoon. Leslie
+accordingly cut her last afternoon recitation in order to call on
+Katherine before any of her friends should arrive on the scene.</p>
+
+<p>"Good afternoon," she saluted without enthusiasm, as the nurse admitted
+her to the sick room. Her small dark eyes shrewdly appraised Katherine,
+who was lying on her couch bed clad in a dainty delft blue silk kimono.</p>
+
+<p>"Good afternoon, Miss Cairns," Katherine returned. "Please take the arm
+chair. It is more comfortable than the others."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you. I can't stay long. I have been trying to see you for the
+last week; ever since your accident, in fact. Glad to see you better. I
+sent you some fruit and flowers. Tried to make you understand that I was
+anxious about you." Leslie paused. Her small stock of politeness was
+already threatening to desert her. She despised Katherine for her
+poverty. Now she disliked her even more because she had injured her.</p>
+
+<p>"I thank you for the fruit and flowers. I asked the nurse to thank you
+for me when I received them.<a class="pagenum" name="page_155" id="page_155" title="155"></a> I have met with so many kindnesses since
+I&mdash;since I was hurt." Katherine referred to the injury she had received
+through Leslie's recklessness with some hesitancy.</p>
+
+<p>"You understand, don't you, that I wasn't really to blame for your
+accident?" The question was put to Katherine with brusque directness. "I
+was driving a little faster than usual to escape the storm. I was well
+within the speed limit. Remember that. I fail to understand why you
+girls didn't hear my horn. It sounded clearly, even above the storm."</p>
+
+<p>"I did not hear it." Katherine fixed her clear eyes squarely upon the
+other girl. "I heard Jerry scream 'Look out!' and then the car struck
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"Hm! Well, all I can say is you girls should not have been strung across
+the road as you were," was Leslie's bold criticism.</p>
+
+<p>"We were walking only on the half of the road used by cars coming toward
+us," was Katherine's quietly defensive rejoinder. "But it doesn't
+matter, Miss Cairns. I do not intend to make any trouble for you. I hope
+all excitement of the accident has died down before this."</p>
+
+<p>"It will be dropped unless that crowd of girls you go with keep stirring
+it up," retorted Leslie. "I wish you would ask them to let it drop.
+Since you are willing to, why shouldn't they be? I wasn't to blame.
+Start an inquiry and the result will be we'll<a class="pagenum" name="page_156" id="page_156" title="156"></a> not be allowed to keep
+our cars at college. That will hit some of your friends as well as
+myself and mine."</p>
+
+<p>"I give you my word that I shall drop the matter. I know my friends have
+no desire to keep it active. I say this in their defense. I cannot allow
+you to misunderstand or belittle their principles."</p>
+
+<p>Katherine spoke with marked stiffness. She could endure Leslie's
+supercilious manner toward herself. When it came to laying the fault at
+the door of her beloved friends&mdash;that was not to be borne.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not in the least interested in your friends. All I want them to do
+is to mind their own business about this accident. If you say they will,
+I look to you to keep your word. If you will accept a money settlement,
+say what you want and I will hand you a check for that amount." Leslie
+made this offer with cool insolence.</p>
+
+<p>"Please don't!" Katherine was ready to cry with weakness and hurt pride.
+"I&mdash;won't you look upon the whole affair as though it had not happened?
+Money is the last thing to be thought of."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well; since that is your way of looking at it." Leslie rose. She
+experienced a malicious satisfaction in having thus "taken a rise out of
+the beggar." Her point gained, she was anxious to be gone. "Hope you
+will soon be as well as ever. If<a class="pagenum" name="page_157" id="page_157" title="157"></a> you need anything, let me know. I must
+hurry along. I have a very important dinner engagement this evening.
+Goodbye."</p>
+
+<p>She made a hasty exit, without offering her hand in farewell. Katherine
+lay back among her pillows with a long sigh of sheer relief. She felt
+that she could not have endured her caller two minutes longer without
+telling her frankly how utterly she detested her.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie and Jerry coming cheerily in upon her soon after classes, she
+confided to them the news of Leslie's call.</p>
+
+<p>"The idea," sniffed Jerry. "Wish I had been here. I'd have told Miss
+Bully Cairns where she gets off at. How does she know but that President
+Matthews knows about it already? There were several freshies in her car.
+No doubt they were all her sort or they wouldn't have been with her.
+Look at the freshies in Miss Stephens' car. They were the first on the
+scene and were awfully sweet to us. What would hinder any one of them
+from 'stirring things up' if they disapproved of the way Miss Cairns
+acted? I mean the way she took her time about coming back after she ran
+Katherine down. She had better make the rounds of the college and tell
+everyone to keep quiet about it."</p>
+
+<p>"She knows she is entirely in the wrong," said Marjorie sternly.
+"Further, she has not told the<a class="pagenum" name="page_158" id="page_158" title="158"></a> truth. I am sure I would have heard a
+horn if she had sounded one. She was certainly exceeding the speed
+limit, and she did not keep her car to the proper side of the road. So
+long as Katherine wishes the matter dropped, her wish is law in the
+matter."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_159" id="page_159" title="159"></a>
+<a name="A_VOLUNTEER_MESSENGER_3782" id="A_VOLUNTEER_MESSENGER_3782"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+<h3>A VOLUNTEER MESSENGER.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>While the news of Katherine's injury soon spread about the college, it
+was reported merely as one of those unintentional happenings for which
+no one was actually culpable. The owners of cherished cars were canny
+enough to realize that to capitalize the accident meant jeopardy to
+their privileges. All knew that a certain important college for girls
+had recently banned cars. None were anxious that Hamilton College should
+find cause to do likewise.</p>
+
+<p>There was one person, however, upon whose action no one had reckoned.
+That particular person chanced to be Professor Wenderblatt. As a friend
+of his daughter's and his most brilliant pupil, the professor cherished
+a warm regard for Katherine. One of the freshmen in the car driven by
+Harriet Stephens chanced to be a friend of Lillian's. The latter
+received from her a fairly accurate account of the accident on the
+following Monday. Nor did the freshman fail to place the blame where it
+belonged.<a class="pagenum" name="page_160" id="page_160" title="160"></a></p>
+
+<p>Highly indignant, Lillian regaled her father with the news at dinner on
+Monday evening, declaring that she thought something ought to be done to
+make the Sans stop their reckless driving. Professor Wenderblatt, who
+was bound by no ties of school-girl honor, decided to have a private
+word on the subject with President Matthews. The fact that Katherine had
+just missed having her back broken was serious enough in his belief to
+warrant a reprimand from headquarters to the offenders.</p>
+
+<p>Utterly unaware that she had a zealous, but an undesired defender,
+Katherine returned to her classes after a two weeks' absence apparently
+in good trim. With her re-appearance on the campus the Sans took heart
+again. Leslie had not been summoned to the president's office. Nothing
+had occurred to point to trouble from that direction.</p>
+
+<p>The disastrous ending of the freshman picnic had dampened her ardor for
+electioneering for a few days. Gradually it returned. Aided by Lola
+Elster and Alida Burton, who were eager to please her, Leslie endeavored
+again by means of luncheons, dinners and treats to rally the freshmen to
+Elizabeth Walbert's banner. Certain wise freshmen, however, had
+discovered for themselves Phyllis Moore's many good qualities. They
+intended to nominate her and proceeded to root energetically for her.
+This contingent had not been pleased with<a class="pagenum" name="page_161" id="page_161" title="161"></a> the patronizing manner which
+the Sans had displayed towards them at the picnic. They were altogether
+too independent and honorable to barter their class vote for a mess of
+pottage.</p>
+
+<p>"Freshie election this afternoon," announced Jerry, as she caught up
+with Marjorie on the steps of the Hall. "Saw you half way across the
+campus. You might as well have been ten miles away. I trilled but you
+didn't hear me. I'll bet that election will be a brisk and busy affair."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't hear you trill. I saw you just as I started up the walk. I
+hear Phil has quite strong support. It would be great if she'd win after
+all the fuss the Sans have made over Miss Walbert."</p>
+
+<p>"She says she won't," was Jerry's disappointing reply. "She thinks over
+half the class will vote for Miss Walbert. If they do I shall be sore
+enough at them to stay away from the freshman frolic."</p>
+
+<p>"There's to be a class meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss that very
+frolic. Did you see the notice yesterday?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yep. Nothing gets by me that I happen to see. I saw that," Jerry made
+humorous reply. "I suppose it is up to us to do the agreeable this year,
+also the decorating."</p>
+
+<p>"Also the gallant escort act. Oh, my!" Marjorie exclaimed in sudden
+consternation. "Something important nearly got by me. I promised Miss<a class="pagenum" name="page_162" id="page_162" title="162"></a>
+Humphrey this noon to give Lucy a message from her. Her secretary is
+sick and she needs someone for a few days. She is away behind in her
+letters. Goodbye. I'll see you later."</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie promptly disappeared into the house in search of Lucy. Her
+quest proved fruitless. Lucy was not in her own room or with any of the
+other Lookouts. Katherine was also not at home, which pointed to the
+fact that the two had gone somewhere together.</p>
+
+<p>"They're at Lillian's," guessed Marjorie. "I had better walk over to
+Hamilton Hall and tell Miss Humphrey I haven't seen Lucy," was her next
+thought. "She may be waiting for her."</p>
+
+<p>It was not more than five minutes' walk across the campus to the Hall.
+Marjorie ran part of the way and bounded up the steps of the building,
+breathless and rosy.</p>
+
+<p>"It was kind in you to take so much trouble, Miss Dean," Miss Humphrey
+said gratefully, as Marjorie explained Lucy's non-appearance.</p>
+
+<p>"It was no trouble at all. I will surely see Miss Warner tonight. I wish
+there was something I could do to help you. I'm afraid I'd make a very
+poor secretary." Marjorie smiled at her own lack of secretarial ability.</p>
+
+<p>"There is a service you can do for me. May I ask, have you anything
+particular to do before dinner?<a class="pagenum" name="page_163" id="page_163" title="163"></a> Something occurred today in the routine
+of the business of the college which makes it necessary for me to send a
+note to Doctor Matthews or else go over to his home to see him at once.
+He has not been at the Hall today, and I feel that I should not let this
+matter go over until tomorrow without, at least, sending word to him. I
+can't go myself. My work will keep me here until after six. Then I have
+a meeting on hand tonight. If you will take a note for me to the Doctor,
+I shall be eternally grateful."</p>
+
+<p>"I'd love to," Marjorie responded heartily.</p>
+
+<p>"That is truly a weighty matter off my mind," smiled the registrar.
+Immediately she busied herself with the writing of the note to be
+intrusted to Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"There will be no answer," she said to Marjorie, when, fifteen minutes
+later, she handed the letter to the willing messenger. "If Doctor
+Matthews is not in, leave it with a member of the family. Please don't
+intrust it to the maid. If it should happen that no one is at home, then
+you had better come back with it to my office."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well." Feeling quite at home with Miss Humphrey, whom she had
+liked on sight, Marjorie drew herself up and saluted. "That is the way I
+do at home," she laughed. "My mother is Captain to me and my father
+General. I'm First Lieutenant Dean. I'll endeavor to carry out your
+order like a<a class="pagenum" name="page_164" id="page_164" title="164"></a> good soldier." Wheeling about with military precision,
+Marjorie saluted again and left the office. The registrar watched her go
+with a smile. She reflected that she had never known so beautiful a girl
+as Marjorie to be so utterly unspoiled.</p>
+
+<p>Doctor Matthews' residence was situated at the extreme western end of
+the campus. Although Marjorie had passed it many times, she had never
+before had occasion to go there. She had never met the president of
+Hamilton College personally, and since she had known of Miss Remson's
+grievance she had experienced a certain loss of respect for him. She was
+therefore indifferent as to whether she delivered the letter to him or
+to a member of the family.</p>
+
+<p>As she mounted the steps to his home, which looked like a smaller
+edition of Wayland Hall, the front door opened and a young woman stepped
+out upon the veranda. She was a tall thin girl with pale blue eyes and
+straight heavy brown hair. Her features non-descript, her entire make-up
+was colorless rather than interesting. As the two girls passed each
+other on the veranda, the tall girl cast a sharp glance at Marjorie. A
+close observer would have characterized it as distinctly unfriendly.
+Marjorie was not even aware of it. Her mind was not on the stranger.<a class="pagenum" name="page_165" id="page_165" title="165"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Is Doctor Matthews at home?" she courteously inquired of the maid who
+answered her ring.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Miss. Who shall I say wishes to see him. Have you an appointment
+with him?"</p>
+
+<p>"No. I have a letter for him from Miss Humphrey, the registrar. She has
+requested me to deliver it personally."</p>
+
+<p>"Please come in. I will tell the doctor." The maid disappeared into a
+room at the right of the colonial hall. Quickly returning, she said: "In
+there, Miss." She pointed to the door which she had left partially open.</p>
+
+<p>The president was seated at a flat-topped mahogany desk. He rose as
+Marjorie entered and came forward to meet her.</p>
+
+<p>"Good afternoon," he greeted, in the deep, pleasant voice which made his
+addresses a delight to the ear. "Norah tells me you have a note for me
+from Miss Humphrey."</p>
+
+<p>"Good afternoon," Marjorie returned. "Here is the note. Miss Humphrey
+said there would be no answer." She half turned as though to depart.</p>
+
+<p>"Just a moment." The doctor was regarding her with keen but friendly
+eyes. "You are not of the clerical force at Hamilton Hall. Let me think.
+You are a sophomore, are you not?" He asked the question triumphantly,
+smiling as he spoke.<a class="pagenum" name="page_166" id="page_166" title="166"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Yes; I am a sophomore." Marjorie's brown eyes held polite amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"I am very proud of my memory for faces," Doctor Matthews continued. "I
+rarely forget a face, though I do not always remember names. You were
+one of the freshman ushers at Commencement last June. Now you have come
+into sophomore estate. How do you like it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Better than being a freshman." It was Marjorie's turn to smile. "I am
+so much better acquainted with Hamilton College now. I am sure there
+isn't another college in the world half so fine." She blossomed into
+involuntary enthusiasm. "Mr. Brooke Hamilton must have been a wonderful
+man. He planned everything here so nobly."</p>
+
+<p>"He was, indeed, a man of noble character and true spirituality. I would
+rather be president of Hamilton College than any other college I have
+ever visited or been connected with. I revere the memory of Brooke
+Hamilton. It is unfortunate we know so little of him. His great-niece,
+Miss Susanna Hamilton, lives at Hamilton Arms. She is the last of the
+Hamilton family. Unfortunately for the college, she became incensed at
+the churlish behavior toward her of a member of the Board whose estate
+adjoined hers. This was many years ago. She had been on the verge of
+turning over to the college a great deal of interesting data regarding<a class="pagenum" name="page_167" id="page_167" title="167"></a>
+Brooke Hamilton which was private family history. Doctor Burns, then
+president of Hamilton, was to write the biography of the lovable founder
+of our college. After the falling-out with the Board member she refused
+to give up the data. Since then she has ignored the college. Brooke
+Hamilton's biography yet remains to be written."</p>
+
+<p>"A case of the innocent having to suffer with the guilty," Marjorie
+said, her eyes very bright. She was privately exultant to have learned
+this bit of news of the Hamiltons. She had heard that the last of the
+Hamiltons, a woman, lived at Hamilton Arms. Leila had told her a little
+concerning the present owner of the Hamilton estate.</p>
+
+<p>After a few further remarks on the subject of Hamilton College, she
+gracefully took her leave. As she stepped from the hall to the veranda,
+she encountered the same young woman she had met on her way into the
+house. This time the girl was seated in one of the porch rockers. Her
+eyes, as they fixed themselves on Marjorie, looked more unfriendly than
+ever. Marjorie caught the hostile import of this second prolonged stare.</p>
+
+<p>"What a hateful face that girl had," she thought, as she continued down
+the walk. "I don't recall ever having seen <i>her</i> before. I'd certainly
+have remembered that face. Perhaps she's a relative of Doctor Matthews.
+She seems to be quite at home."<a class="pagenum" name="page_168" id="page_168" title="168"></a></p>
+
+<p>Returned to Wayland Hall, Marjorie's first act was to go to Lucy's room
+to give her Miss Humphrey's message. This time she found Lucy in but
+alone.</p>
+
+<p>"Where's Ronny?" she inquired, after she had explained to Lucy the
+registrar's present difficulty, "I haven't seen her except at meals for
+two days."</p>
+
+<p>"She's out with Leila and Vera waiting for the election returns. They
+are anxious to find out if Phil won."</p>
+
+<p>"Hope she did," was Marjorie's fervent wish. "You can never guess in a
+thousand years to whom I was talking this afternoon."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm a poor guesser. You'd better tell me," Lucy said in her concise
+fashion.</p>
+
+<p>"All right, I will. It was President Matthews." Lucy's greenish eyes
+turning themselves on her in astonishment, Marjorie laughed, then went
+on to relate the circumstances.</p>
+
+<p>Lucy listened with the profound interest of a wise young owl. "What do
+you think of him?" she asked reflectively, when Marjorie had finished.
+"Does he seem the kind of man that would do a person an injustice? I'm
+thinking of Miss Remson now."</p>
+
+<p>"I thought of her, too, while I was in his office," Marjorie responded.
+"No; he doesn't appear to be anything but broad-minded and just. Still,
+we<a class="pagenum" name="page_169" id="page_169" title="169"></a> mustn't forget that his name was signed to that letter."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you see his secretary?" Lucy quizzed. "She is over at his house some
+of the time. He is usually at Hamilton Hall until one o'clock in the
+afternoon, then he goes home. I understand he transacts a good deal of
+college business at his home office."</p>
+
+<p>"I didn't see anyone but the maid who answered the door and the
+president. Oh, I'll take that back. I saw a girl coming out of the house
+as I was going up the steps. When I came out I saw her again. She was
+sitting on the veranda. She had such a disagreeable expression. I
+noticed it particularly the second time I saw her."</p>
+
+<p>"Describe her," Lucy tersely commanded.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie complied, giving a fairly good description of the stranger.</p>
+
+<p>"That girl&mdash;&mdash;" Lucy paused impressively, "is the president's
+secretary."</p>
+
+<p>"Really?" Marjorie's brown eyes opened to their widest extent.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; really. I told Miss Remson the morning we were in her office that
+I intended to find out all I could about Doctor Matthews' secretary. I
+have not found out anything much about her except that she is not a
+student. But I have seen her. Kathie knows her by sight. She pointed her
+out to me one afternoon. We passed her on the campus. She was<a class="pagenum" name="page_170" id="page_170" title="170"></a> going
+toward Doctor Matthews' house. I did not like her looks. I feel that she
+was at the bottom of Miss Remson's trouble and it would not surprise me
+to learn that she is in with the Sans. Unfortunately I have no way of
+proving it. I believe it, just the same."</p>
+
+<p>"There was something queer about that whole affair," Marjorie agreed.
+"You remember Helen said that, if the Sans were insolent and
+supercilious when they came back to the Hall, it would mean they had had
+information beforehand and were sure of their ground. Well, they were
+very much like that. They acted as though they owned the Hall.</p>
+
+<p>"I noticed that, for I watched them particularly. I think Miss Sayres,
+that's the secretary's name, is the one who helped them. I hope some day
+to be able to prove it."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_171" id="page_171" title="171"></a>
+<a name="THE_RENDEZVOUS_4074" id="THE_RENDEZVOUS_4074"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+<h3>THE RENDEZVOUS.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The noisy entrance into the room of Muriel, Jerry, Leila, Vera and
+Ronny, with the disappointing news that Phyllis had lost the freshman
+presidency by only nine votes, broke up the confidential session.</p>
+
+<p>"We went to our room first but you were not to be seen. Thought you'd be
+here. Last I saw of you you had started on a hunt for Lucy. Isn't it a
+shame about the election? To think that Walbert snip won!" Jerry
+elevated her nose in utter disapproval. "Won't the Sans crow? They will
+blow her off to dinners and spreads for a week to come. I hope she gets
+an awful case of indigestion."</p>
+
+<p>"How very cruel you are, Jeremiah." Nevertheless, Ronny laughed with the
+others. Jerry's hopes for the downfall of her enemies were usually
+energetic and sweeping.</p>
+
+<p>"I can be a lot more cruel than that," she boasted. "It made me tired to
+hear those sillies had elected that girl to the class presidency. Glad
+I'm not a<a class="pagenum" name="page_172" id="page_172" title="172"></a> freshie. They will rue it before the year is up. Phil's
+supporters are as mad as hops."</p>
+
+<p>Many of the upper-class girls shared Jerry's opinion. The Sans' open
+championship of Elizabeth Walbert had excited unfavorable comment on the
+campus. While the upper-class students aimed to be helpful elder sisters
+to the freshmen, college etiquette forbade a too-marked interest in
+freshman affairs. The Sans had over-reached themselves and were bound to
+come in for adverse criticism in college circles where tradition was
+still respected.</p>
+
+<p>The Sans, however, were oblivious to everything save the fact that they
+had gained their point. Leslie Cairns was radiant over the victory and
+gave an elaborate dinner that evening at the Colonial in honor of
+Elizabeth. Besides the Sans, Alida Burton and Lola Elster, twenty-two
+freshmen were invited. She engaged the restaurant for the evening and
+spared no pains and expense to make the dinner what she termed "a
+howler."</p>
+
+<p>Following on the heels of her triumph strode calamity. The mail next
+morning brought her a letter which lashed her into a furious rage. It
+was a terse summons to appear at Doctor Matthews' office at eleven
+o'clock that morning. More, the four lines comprising it had been
+penned, not typed. Her instant surmise was that the summons had to do
+with the recent accident of Katherine Langly.<a class="pagenum" name="page_173" id="page_173" title="173"></a> She could think of no
+other reason for it, unless&mdash;Leslie turned pale. There was another
+reason, but she preferred not to give it mind room. She boldly decided
+that she would ignore the letter that morning. She would receive a
+second summons. It would be easy enough to assert that she had not
+received a first. This would give her time to see a certain person and
+perhaps gain an inkling of what was in the wind.</p>
+
+<p>An interview with the "certain person" yielded nothing. That person was
+unable to throw light upon the reason for the summons. Two days elapsed,
+then Leslie received a second communication too austere to be
+disregarded. She went to the president's office in considerable
+trepidation and emerged from it an hour later, her heavy features set in
+anger. Undertaking to assume her usual nonchalant pose, she had been
+brought with alarming suddenness to a wholesome respect for Doctor
+Matthews' dignity. She had also received a lecture on reckless driving
+which she was not likely to forget.</p>
+
+<p>"While it seems unfair to deprive students who are careful drivers of
+the privilege of using their automobiles at college, simply because
+careless young women like you will not conform to the traffic
+conditions, it will come to that." Doctor Matthews was a study in cold
+severity as he made this threatening statement. "I shall take drastic
+measures if<a class="pagenum" name="page_174" id="page_174" title="174"></a> another accident occurs as a result of speeding or reckless
+driving on the part of a student. I have been informed, Miss Cairns,
+that you are in the habit of exceeding the speed limit. It is a
+particularly dangerous proceeding on the highways adjacent to the
+college on account of the number of students who make a practice of
+walking. Referring to the accident to Miss Langly. What restitution
+could you have made if her back had been permanently injured? There is
+nothing more pitiful than a helpless invalid. Remember that and see that
+you are not the one to cause lifelong unhappiness or death by an act of
+sheer lawlessness. Let this be the last offense of this kind on your
+part."</p>
+
+<p>Thus the president concluded his arraignment. Leslie left Hamilton Hall
+with but one flaming purpose. She would be even with the person or
+persons who had reported her to the president. Suspicion instantly
+pointed out "that Sanford crowd." She gave Katherine clearance of it,
+strange to say. She preferred to lay the blame at either the door of
+Marjorie or Jerry. Yet she had dark suspicions of Leila and Vera. Then
+there were the freshmen who had been in Harriet Stephens' car. Harriet
+had told her that they were in sympathy with Katherine's crowd. Whoever
+was to blame would suffer for it. On that point she was determined.<a class="pagenum" name="page_175" id="page_175" title="175"></a></p>
+
+<p>Shortly after her return to Wayland Hall, she resolved to cut her
+classes that day. Leslie received a telephone call. It was not
+unexpected. She had notified the maid that she would be in her room in
+case she should be called on the 'phone. Her sullen features cleared a
+trifle as she listened to the voice at the other end of the wire.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," she said in guarded tones. The students had already begun
+to drop in from the last recitations of the morning. "Nine o'clock
+sharp. I'll walk. I'm not going to take chances of attracting attention.
+Yes, I know where you mean. It's not far from Baretti's. Don't fail me.
+Goodbye."</p>
+
+<p>On her way to her room she encountered Natalie. "Come with me," she said
+shortly.</p>
+
+<p>"Where were you this morning?" Natalie asked. "Professor Futelle was
+awfully fussed about absentees. Eight girls cut French today."</p>
+
+<p>"Where was I? I was in bad, I'll say. What? Well, I guess. I got a
+second summons this A. M. I couldn't side-step it. His high and
+mightiness had the whole story of the accident from some tattle-tale. He
+wouldn't give me a chance to say a word hardly. One more break in the
+speeding line and our cars go home for good. He certainly laid down the
+law to me. I've a mind to tell you something else." Leslie paused before
+the door of her room, hand on the knob.<a class="pagenum" name="page_176" id="page_176" title="176"></a></p>
+
+<p>"What is it? You know I never tell tales, Les." Natalie eyed the other
+girl reproachfully. "That's more than you can say of your other pals."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right about that, Nat," Leslie conceded. She motioned Natalie
+into the room and closed the door. "Laura says she knows who told Doctor
+Matthews. I'm to meet her tonight. Keep that dark. I don't want a person
+besides you to know it. I'm to meet her behind that clump of lilac
+bushes the other side of Baretti's. You know; where that old house was
+torn down."</p>
+
+<p>Natalie nodded. She was inwardly jubilant at having thus been given
+Leslie's confidence. It was quite like old times. "Have you any idea who
+told?" she questioned, trying to hide her gratification under an air of
+calm interest.</p>
+
+<p>"No. I'm positive it wasn't Langly. She gave me her word that she would
+drop the whole thing. A goody-goody dig like her would not break it.
+I'll tell you as soon as I come back. Come here at ten. I shall not be
+later than ten-fifteen. I intend to put up a 'Busy' sign tonight so as
+to keep the girls out of here before I start. They know better than to
+try to get by it, too."</p>
+
+<p>At precisely twenty minutes to nine that evening Leslie took the "Busy"
+placard from her door and locking it proceeded to the rendezvous. She
+had put on a long dark motor coat and a black velour<a class="pagenum" name="page_177" id="page_177" title="177"></a> sports hat. The
+instant she had left the Hall's premises behind her she pulled the hat
+low over her face and broke into a run. An expert tennis player, she was
+swift and nimble of foot. Only once she paused, stepping behind a
+thicket of rhododendron bushes until a party of girls returning from
+town passed by. Once off the campus, she kept to the darker side of the
+road and was soon at the designated spot.</p>
+
+<p>Her brisk run had brought her to the meeting place ahead of time. It was
+five minutes before the faint sound of a footfall among the fallen
+leaves rewarded her small stock of patience. Leslie's hand sought the
+pocket of her coat. A tiny stream of white light outlined the figure now
+very close to her. Instantly she snapped off the light with a soft
+ejaculation of satisfaction.</p>
+
+<p>"You should not have turned that light on me," objected the other dark
+figure rather pettishly. "We might be seen from the road."</p>
+
+<p>"Not a soul passing," Leslie assured. "I was not going to take chances
+of hailing the wrong party."</p>
+
+<p>"Please remember that I have to be even more careful than you. No one
+must ever be allowed to suspect that we know each other." Laura Sayres
+spoke with cool precision.</p>
+
+<p>"Is that what you came all the way here to tell<a class="pagenum" name="page_178" id="page_178" title="178"></a> me?" Leslie gave a
+short laugh. It announced that she was on the verge of being unpleasant.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course it isn't." Laura prudently retreated from her lofty stand.
+While she enjoyed grumbling, she was too cowardly at heart to venture to
+do more. "I couldn't say a word over the 'phone today. I will tell you
+now and quickly for I have a long walk home and the road is quite lonely
+in places."</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry I couldn't bring my car, but I didn't dare," carelessly
+apologized Leslie. She divined that Laura was somewhat peeved because
+she had not.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, it doesn't matter. Now I don't know just how much this information
+will be worth to you&mdash;" Miss Sayres paused. "I can only&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Give it to me and I'll do the square thing by you." Leslie frowned in
+the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I don't mean in money," weakly defended Miss Sayres. "I mean that
+it's circumstantial. You must form your own opinion from what I tell
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"I understand." Leslie quite understood that despite the secretary's
+protest she was not above being mercenary. "Go ahead."</p>
+
+<p>"Last Tuesday afternoon about five o'clock I was just starting for home
+from Doctor Matthews' house, when who should come marching up the walk<a class="pagenum" name="page_179" id="page_179" title="179"></a>
+but Miss Dean," related Laura. "I wondered what brought her there. As
+soon as the maid let her in I turned and went back. I had made up my
+mind to wait around until she came out. I have a key to the front door
+now. One day when college first opened the doctor sent me over to the
+house for some papers he needed. No one was at home and I had to go back
+to Hamilton Hall without them. He had a key made for me right after
+that. You see I occupy a position of trust. No wonder I have to be
+careful."</p>
+
+<p>"I see; but what about Miss Dean?" Leslie promptly switched the
+secretary back to her original subject.</p>
+
+<p>"I am coming to that. I decided after I got as far as the veranda to let
+myself into the house. I supposed Miss Dean had come to see the doctor.
+The minute I stepped inside I heard voices. The door of the office was
+open just a little. I did not dare stand in the hall so I slipped into
+the living room. It is directly opposite the office. I couldn't
+understand a word Miss Dean said, but I heard the doctor say he was
+incensed at the behavior of someone, and that they would have to come
+before the Board. Then he said that if someone, I couldn't find out who,
+refused to do something or other, she would have to leave college. It
+remained for him to write her.<a class="pagenum" name="page_180" id="page_180" title="180"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I heard Miss Dean say very plainly: 'It is a case of the innocent
+having to suffer with the guilty.' They talked a little more, but both
+lowered their voices. I heard the doctor's chair turn and knew he was
+going to get up from it. I made the quickest move I ever made and slid
+out the door. I had left it a little open. Sure enough, in a minute or
+two Miss Dean came out of the house and went away."</p>
+
+<p>"I think that's pretty good proof against the foxy little wretch."
+Leslie's voice was thick with wrath. She was still smarting from the
+morning's humiliation. "I wish I could tell you how I hate that little
+sneak. I'll get back at her, believe me."</p>
+
+<p>"I certainly would, if I were you. Just to be on the safe side I went
+into the house and stopped at the office door. I said, 'If you have
+nothing more for me to do I will go now, Doctor Matthews.' I thought
+perhaps he would ask me to write the letter he had spoken of. Not he. He
+said: 'No, thank you, Miss Sayres. You need not have waited.' So I had
+no excuse to stay."</p>
+
+<p>"That's another proof. The letter he sent me was penned. You have picked
+the culprit, all right enough. I have an idea I know how to deal with
+her." Leslie threatened in an excess of spite. "One thing more and then
+we must beat it. Do you believe that Remson affair will ever leak out?
+I<a class="pagenum" name="page_181" id="page_181" title="181"></a> shiver every time I think of it. That was a bold stroke."</p>
+
+<p>"It doesn't worry me. I know enough about Miss Remson to know she will
+keep far away from Doctor Matthews after the letter she received from
+him. The one he received from her, after she had been over to see him,
+made him think she had had a heart-to-heart talk with you girls and
+you'd all promised to do differently. He wouldn't interfere after that.
+Unless they should happen to meet, which isn't likely, matters will stay
+as they are. I destroyed the letter supposed to be from Miss Remson. The
+doctor told me to file it, but if he ever asked for it I would pretend
+not to be able to find it. He wouldn't remember what she wrote. While I
+am his secretary I can manage the affair. As time passes it will be
+forgotten. Doctor Matthews would not mention it if he happened to meet
+Miss Remson. That's not his way."</p>
+
+<p>"Glad to hear it. It lifts a weight from my mind. I've only one more
+year at Hamilton after this. My father expects me to be graduated with
+honor. He would never forgive me if I were to be expelled from Hamilton
+at this late date." Leslie was moved out of her usual indifferent pose.
+Fear of exposure gripped her hard at times.</p>
+
+<p>"Better let this Miss Dean alone," was Laura's succinct advise. "I hear
+she is very popular on the<a class="pagenum" name="page_182" id="page_182" title="182"></a> campus. She looks independent enough to take
+up for herself. Be careful she doesn't turn the tables on you as she did
+last spring."</p>
+
+<p>"Not this time. She won't like my methods, but she won't be able to
+prove that they are mine. In fact she won't know where to place the
+blame."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_183" id="page_183" title="183"></a>
+<a name="FAIR_PLAY_AND_NO_FAVORS_4350" id="FAIR_PLAY_AND_NO_FAVORS_4350"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+<h3>FAIR PLAY AND NO FAVORS.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Phyllis Moore accepted her defeat with the easy grace which was hers.
+Her freshman supporters were not so ready to give in. They gave up the
+ghost with marked displeasure. Forty-five members of the class had voted
+for her. They had shown open and hearty disapproval of Elizabeth
+Walbert. The other three officers were more to their liking, but the
+Sans' electioneering had left a rift in the freshman lute which promised
+plenty of discord later on. Though every member of the class had
+attended the picnic as a matter of courtesy, the finer element had been
+privately weary of the affair before the afternoon was over. The Sans'
+efforts to mould the freshmen to their views merely resulted in
+amalgamating stray groups to one solid formation. A fact they were
+presently to discover.</p>
+
+<p>The election of officers had occurred much later than was the rule. The
+excitement attendant upon it had hardly died out before the freshman
+frolic<a class="pagenum" name="page_184" id="page_184" title="184"></a> loomed large on their horizon. With the sophomore class almost
+entirely free from snobbish influences, the dance promised to be an
+occasion of undiluted enjoyment. The humbler freshmen off the campus
+were the first to receive invitations from the sophs. Those sophs who
+still clung to the Sans were only a handful. The freshies of Elizabeth
+Walbert's faction found that the majority of them would be without
+special escort unless the juniors or seniors came to their rescue.</p>
+
+<p>Rallied to duty by Alida Burton and Lola Elster, the Sans magnanimously
+stepped into the breach. They, in turn, brought certain of their junior
+and senior allies to the aid of the escortless. It was a sore point,
+however, among a number of freshmen who had voted for Miss Walbert that
+the sophomores had passed them by for mere off-the-campus students. It
+served as a quiet lesson by which a a few of them afterward profited.</p>
+
+<p>Eager to regain her lost laurels, Natalie Weyman was insistent that Lola
+and Alida should ask the entertainment committee to give another Beauty
+contest.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you take me for?" was Lola's derisive reply when Natalie asked
+her for the third time to try to bring the contest about. "I'd just as
+soon ask Prexy Matthews to dye his hair pink as to ask those snippies to
+give a Beauty parade. Kiss<a class="pagenum" name="page_185" id="page_185" title="185"></a> yourself good-bye, Nat. You didn't win it
+last year. Nuff said."</p>
+
+<p>Whereupon Natalie took pains to confide to anyone who would listen to
+her that she thought Lola Elster the rudest, slangiest person she had
+ever had the misfortune to meet.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie could not recall a festivity for which she had worked hard
+beforehand and enjoyed more than the preparation for the freshman hop.
+Going to the woods to gather the spicy, fragrant pine boughs and
+gorgeous armfuls of autumn leaves and scarlet mountain ash berries for
+decorations was purest pleasure. No less did she revel in the hours
+spent in beautifying the gymnasium in honor of the baby class. Everyone
+concerned in the labor was so good-natured and jolly that an atmosphere
+of harmony permeated the big room and hovered over it on the night of
+the frolic.</p>
+
+<p>Even the Sans appeared to imbibe a little of that genial atmosphere and
+behaved at the frolic with less arrogance than was their wont when
+appearing socially. Leslie Cairns alone of them flatly refused to be
+present. She wheedled Joan Myers into escorting Elizabeth Walbert to the
+dance and remained in her room in a magnificent fit of sulks. She was
+too greatly inflamed against Marjorie to endure going where she would be
+in close touch with her for an evening. She therefore amused<a class="pagenum" name="page_186" id="page_186" title="186"></a> herself
+that evening in planning the cherished move she intended to make against
+Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps I ought not say it, but I had a good deal better time tonight
+than at the frolic last year," Muriel confided to her chums between
+yawns. Discipline being lax they had gathered in Ronny's and Lucy's room
+after the dance for a cup of hot chocolate and sweet crackers.</p>
+
+<p>"I know I had," emphasized Marjorie. "Everyone seemed to go in for a
+good time tonight."</p>
+
+<p>"The Sans unbent a little, didn't they?" commented Jerry. "That was
+because their boss stayed away. Those girls might become civilized in
+time without Leslie Cairns on the job."</p>
+
+<p>"They were a little more gracious," agreed Ronny. "I don't know how the
+rest of you feel about it. I am glad the frolic is over. I am tired. We
+have been stirred up ever since we came back to college. First over Miss
+Remson's trouble. Next came the Sans' move to grab all the freshmen.
+Then Kathie's accident, and after that the commotion over the freshie
+election. We were all keyed up to quite a pitch over that on account of
+Phil. Now the dance is over. What next? Nothing, I fondly hope. I am
+going to lead the student life, provided I am allowed to do it."</p>
+
+<p>"You forget basket ball," reminded Muriel.</p>
+
+<p>"I am going to try to forget it," retorted Ronny<a class="pagenum" name="page_187" id="page_187" title="187"></a> so wearily that her
+tone elicited a chorus of giggles. "I don't play the game, thank my
+stars!"</p>
+
+<p>"I shall, if I have a chance," Muriel asserted. "How about you,
+Marjorie?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am going to try for a place on the team this year," Marjorie
+announced in a purposeful manner. "I hope we get a fair try-out. I
+really want to play. I like Professor Leonard's appearance. Helen had
+quite a long talk with him the other day. He is a seasoned basket ball
+player. He played center on a western college team the whole four years
+of his college course. He is going to arrange for a series of try-outs
+to be held next week. He thinks each class ought to have its own team.
+The seniors never play, though."</p>
+
+<p>"Since those are his sentiments, they sound as if he were strictly on
+the square," approved Jerry. "I mean, he is a real basket-ball
+enthusiast. The real ones won't stand for unfairness."</p>
+
+<p>"Miss Reid will be a cipher in b. b. plans this year and I am good and
+glad of it," exulted Muriel. "Professor Leonard looks to me like a
+person who wouldn't show favoritism. He certainly has lots of the right
+kind of energy."</p>
+
+<p>Muriel's opinion of the young professor of physical culture proved
+correct. On Monday following the freshman dance, a notice appeared on
+the official bulletin board stating that on Tuesday, Wednesday,<a class="pagenum" name="page_188" id="page_188" title="188"></a>
+Thursday and Friday afternoon of that week basket-ball try-outs for
+freshman, sophomore, junior and senior teams, respectively, would be
+held at four-thirty o'clock in the gymnasium. It bore the pertinent
+signature: "James Leonard, Director Athletics and Gymnasium."</p>
+
+<p>Freshmen and sophomores hailed it with delight. The juniors were not so
+enthusiastic, though it was noised about that there would be a junior
+team composed of Sans, if they could manage to make it. The seniors from
+the height of their dignity smiled tolerantly but refused to commit
+themselves.</p>
+
+<p>Determined to be in touch with the game from the very beginning, Muriel,
+Jerry and Marjorie attended the freshman try-out. Ronny begged off on
+account of a chemical experiment she was anxious to make. Lucy declared,
+that, if she attended the sophomore try-out on Tuesday she considered
+that a sufficiency of basket ball.</p>
+
+<p>Under the expert and impartial direction of Professor Leonard, the
+freshman try-out was conducted with a snap and precision which left
+nothing to be desired in the minds of those students who had yearned for
+fair play. It brought confusion to a certain clique of freshmen, headed
+by Elizabeth Walbert, who had reckoned on some of their particular
+friends carrying off the honors and being appointed to the team. The
+despatch with which<a class="pagenum" name="page_189" id="page_189" title="189"></a> the aspirants were made up into squads and tried
+out against each other was a joy to witness. The energetic director
+weeded out the defective players in short order. His searching eyes
+missed not a movement, clever or bungling. The five girls finally picked
+to play on the official freshman team were a survival of the fittest.
+Among them was Phyllis Moore. Further, she was given the position of
+center and roundly complimented by the director for what he termed her
+"whirlwind" playing. This triumph pleased boyish Phyllis far more than
+winning the class presidency could have done. Barbara Severn, the
+Baltimore freshie, who Marjorie had looked out for on her arrival at
+Hamilton, won the position of right guard, and was also praised for her
+work.</p>
+
+<p>Once the team was chosen the director put them through fifteen minutes
+of snappy play. Their fast and nimble work elicited rousing cheers from
+the large audience of students who had dropped in to witness the
+try-out.</p>
+
+<p>"Isn't it great that both Phil and Barbara won?" bubbled Robin Page.
+Half a dozen Silverton Hall girls had joined Marjorie's group after the
+try-out, preparatory to giving the successful aspirants a special
+ovation as soon as they should leave the floor. "Phil and Barbara are
+awfully chummy, so they'll be pleased to the skies."<a class="pagenum" name="page_190" id="page_190" title="190"></a></p>
+
+<p>"I think they are a great combination," returned Jerry. "They are our
+catches. We hooked them when we went freshie fishing. I like the way
+they look after Anna Towne, too. She is lucky to have them for pals."</p>
+
+<p>"Phil is very fond of her, you know," smiled Robin, "and Barbara is a
+dear. She is a real Southern aristocrat. She has the gentlest, kindest
+ways and the sweetest voice! She and Phil are the really great hopes of
+the freshman class, I think."</p>
+
+<p>"You know what the Bible says about the little leaven leavening the
+whole lump." Jerry spoke with sudden seriousness. "Maybe Phil and
+Barbara will turn out to be the particular kind of leaven the freshies
+need. I suppose they wouldn't feel especially complimented at being
+classed as a 'lump,' but then what they don't hear will never hurt
+them," she added, her serious face breaking into its irresistible little
+grin.</p>
+
+<p>"I only hope we do as well tomorrow as Phil and Barbara," Muriel said
+irrelevently, her brown eyes fixed in some trepidation on the alert
+director. "That man's eyes seem to be everywhere at once. Nothing gets
+by him."</p>
+
+<p>"We will have to hustle if we expect recognition from him, I know that.
+There are some fine players among the sophs, too. You know how well that
+team chosen after the fuss with Miss Reid could<a class="pagenum" name="page_191" id="page_191" title="191"></a> play. I think Robin is
+a better player than I," Marjorie turned to Robin with a smile.</p>
+
+<p>"No, siree! I have heard marvelous reports of your playing," differed
+Robin with energy.</p>
+
+<p>"You have a bitter disappointment ahead of you tomorrow then," retorted
+Marjorie. "You'll probably see me relegated to the scrub, sub or dub
+class."</p>
+
+<p>"I prophesy all three of you modest violets will make the team. The real
+exhibition will be on Thursday afternoon. The strenuous Sans and the
+dictatorial director; or, what's the use without Miss Reid? They will
+learn a few points of the game before he gets through with them. I
+wouldn't miss that try-out for a good deal." Jerry was deriving an
+impish satisfaction from the prospect of the Sans' encounter to come
+with Professor Leonard.</p>
+
+<p>The next afternoon brought a large and interested audience to the
+gymnasium. Robin Page had many well wishers in all three of the upper
+classes. Leila and Vera also headed a goodly company who were anxious to
+see Marjorie and Muriel make the team. The Sans came in a body to cheer
+Lola Elster and Alida Burton on to victory. They had attended the
+freshman try-out and seen a team selected which contained not one of
+their allies. They had also learned that Professor Leonard was not to be
+deceived for an instant. Only the fairest kind of fair play would be
+acceptable to him. Leslie<a class="pagenum" name="page_192" id="page_192" title="192"></a> Cairns was confident that Lola Elster would
+make the sophomore team. Of the skill of her junior chums as players she
+was openly doubtful. She rudely hooted at their avowed intention to
+enter the lists.</p>
+
+<p>"You girls are punk players, one and all. Why make simpletons of
+yourselves tomorrow?" she inquired of Joan and Natalie. "You need at
+least a month's drill to put you in trim. Proffy Smarty Alec will chase
+you off the floor."</p>
+
+<p>"You're so hateful, Les," bitterly complained Joan. "We stand as good a
+chance as can be at the junior try-out. I happen to know that we Sans
+are almost the only juniors who are going to try for the team. Some of
+us will be picked. He's a fine coach. He will soon put our team in good
+form."</p>
+
+<p>"Go to it and be happy," Leslie laughed. "You will so enjoy being ragged
+every three minutes by that conceited tyrant. I am not going to throw
+cold water on your fond hopes, but don't cry if he can't see you as a
+junior team."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_193" id="page_193" title="193"></a>
+<a name="GENERAL_CAIRNS_TO_THE_RESCUE_4594" id="GENERAL_CAIRNS_TO_THE_RESCUE_4594"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+<h3>"GENERAL" CAIRNS TO THE RESCUE.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The series of try-outs, plus the directorship of Professor Leonard,
+caused basket ball interest to soar to exceptional heights. The
+sophomore try-outs brought even a larger number of students to the scene
+than did the freshman test. About thirty-five sophs essayed to make the
+team. None of the aspirants could be classed as poor players, and it
+took the approving director a trifle longer than at the previous try-out
+to pick the team.</p>
+
+<p>Muriel was among the first two fives to be called to the floor. Always
+to be depended upon in bygone high school days, she had not fallen off
+as a player. During the fifteen minutes of brisk play, she was
+conspicuous by reason of her clever work with the ball. Watching her
+eagerly, Marjorie could only hope to do as well when her turn came to
+play.</p>
+
+<p>At Sanford High School she had often been rated by enthusiastic fans as
+the star player of the school.<a class="pagenum" name="page_194" id="page_194" title="194"></a> She had formerly loved the game and
+played it with all her might. Now the old delightful fascination for it
+thrilled her anew. She forgot everything save the fact that she was once
+more to tussle for the ball. Robin Page had been called to the opposing
+five. From the moment Professor Leonard put the ball in play at center
+she and Marjorie amply demonstrated their right to be classed as stars.
+Applause was not slow in coming from the interested spectators. The
+sophs raised their voices in cries of "Robin Page! Marjorie Dean!&mdash;Who
+are they? They're all right! Some players! Rah, rah, rah!" and similar
+calls of noisy appreciation. Even Professor Leonard smiled at the racket
+that ensued when Marjorie made a clever throw to basket after spiritedly
+dodging her opponents.</p>
+
+<p>When finally the try-out ended and the official soph team was named, it
+consisted of Robin, Muriel, Marjorie, Grace Dearborn and Marie Peyton.
+To Marjorie fell the honor of center and a more delighted, astonished
+girl than she would have been hard to find.</p>
+
+<p>"You deserve center," Robin delightedly wrung her hand. "You are a better
+player than I and I don't mind a bit. Oh, Marjorie! Think what fun we
+shall have whipping all the other teams. We have a wonderful five!"</p>
+
+<p>This was the consensus of opinion. Knowing<a class="pagenum" name="page_195" id="page_195" title="195"></a> fans were already predicting
+easy victories for the sophomore team that season. The moment the
+winning five had been announced Lola Elster disappeared. Her
+mortification at having failed to make the team would not permit her to
+remain and meet the Sans. She knew Leslie Cairns would be disappointed,
+and, consequently, in a bad humor. Her own state of chagrin was such
+that a word from Leslie would have brought on a quarrel. Lola prudently
+decided to vanish until the keen edge of Leslie's displeasure should
+have worn itself off.</p>
+
+<p>The fast playing they had witnessed that afternoon went far to dampen
+the Sans' ardor to try for the junior team. That evening they held a
+consultation in Joan's room on the subject. In the end, however, they
+could not resist the desire to make themselves prominent. They agreed to
+play their best, and, if chosen, to hire a coach and practice
+assiduously. Leslie was present at the discussion and brimming with
+derision. "You had better keep off the floor," was her rough advice.
+"You'll make a worse showing than Lola did and she was hopeless."</p>
+
+<p>Spurred by Leslie's jibes the Sans resolved to put forth every effort at
+their try-out to make a decent showing. Other than themselves there were
+not more than half a dozen aspirants. Thus their chances were good.
+Having closely watched the<a class="pagenum" name="page_196" id="page_196" title="196"></a> director's methods at two try-outs they knew
+what would be expected of them. They had also learned a number of things
+about basket ball that they had not known before. Whether they could
+apply this knowledge to their own playing on such short notice was a
+question.</p>
+
+<p>When the fateful junior try-out was over, Professor Leonard was of the
+private opinion that he had made a mistake in attempting to carry basket
+ball beyond the sophomore year. Nevertheless he selected a team from
+junior material, such as it was, and proceeded to tersely address them.
+Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Harriet Stephens represented the Sans.
+The other two players chosen were a Miss Hale and a small sprightly
+junior, Nina Merrill.</p>
+
+<p>"You young women are all sadly out of practice. You can play a fair game
+if you go to work and spend some time on the floor. You are away behind
+the freshmen and sophomores. You would be white-washed by either team if
+you met them now. Your playing is too slow. Learn to move fast. That is
+essential in basket ball. On a man's team, the moment a player begins to
+show a slowing down he is dropped. Quick work; that is the beauty of
+this game. Come here regularly for practice and I will help you."</p>
+
+<p>The frank opinion of the director, delivered in<a class="pagenum" name="page_197" id="page_197" title="197"></a> impersonal kindness,
+the Sans found hard to swallow. Self-willed and self-centered, they bore
+honest criticism very badly. Neither were they appreciative of his offer
+to aid them in their practice.</p>
+
+<p>"I think it is fine in Professor Leonard to offer to help us," ventured
+Nina Merrill to Joan Myers as the director walked away. The team had
+been standing in a group during the short address.</p>
+
+<p>"Really, I hadn't thought about it." Joan's tones were chilling. Nina
+was a nobody in her estimation and must be treated as such.</p>
+
+<p>"You must be most unappreciative." Stung by the snub she had received,
+Nina spoke straight from her heart. Then she turned and walked away.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, the idea!" An angry flush overspread Joan's face. To be treated to
+a dose of her own medicine did not set well.</p>
+
+<p>Just then Leslie Cairns joined them and Joan forgot her outraged
+feelings.</p>
+
+<p>"Come along," ordered Leslie. "Get your togs changed in a hurry. I am
+going to blow you three girls to eats at the Ivy. Beat it out of the
+dressing room without saying where you're going. I want to talk to you
+three and I am not strong for entertaining the gang. You did better than
+I thought you would. What was Leonard haranguing you about?"</p>
+
+<p>"He raked us down for being out of practice.<a class="pagenum" name="page_198" id="page_198" title="198"></a> Said he would coach us if
+we'd come regularly to the gym." Natalie made a contemptuous gesture.</p>
+
+<p>"Tell him to fly away," shrugged Leslie. "You don't need his coaching. I
+have a better plan. Let's be moving."</p>
+
+<p>The quartette walked away without a word of farewell to Ruth Hale, who
+had been standing near them. She was also beneath their notice.</p>
+
+<p>"You had a lot to say about <i>our</i> punk playing before the try-out, Les.
+What do you think of Lola? She certainly didn't distinguish herself."
+Natalie could not conceal her satisfaction at Lola's failure.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't mention it." Leslie's heavy brows met. "I was sore enough at the
+little dummy to shake her. She let the other five put it all over her. I
+haven't seen her since she flivvered and I don't want to."</p>
+
+<p>"She never could play basket ball," was Natalie's lofty assertion.</p>
+
+<p>"She didn't show any signs of it yesterday," Leslie grimly agreed. "I'll
+meet you girls at the garage," she directed with a brusque change of
+subject. "I am going over there for my car. It's good way to lose the
+gang. They won't look for us there."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you think of Les?" inquired Joan with raised brows as the two
+girls entered the dressing<a class="pagenum" name="page_199" id="page_199" title="199"></a> room. "Before Lola flivvered she was simply
+insufferable. Today she is positively affable. She's down on Lola.
+That's one reason."</p>
+
+<p>"I wish she'd stay down on her," responded Natalie with fervor. "Les and
+I have never been as good pals since Lola Elster entered Hamilton."</p>
+
+<p>"Now listen to me, Nat. Leslie likes you just as well as she ever did."
+Joan broke forth with some impatience. "She runs around with Lola and
+Bess Walbert, I know, and makes a fuss over them. She is perfectly aware
+that it makes you sore. She does it to be tantalizing. Les likes to keep
+something going all the time. It is a wonder to me that she hasn't been
+expelled from college for some of the tricks she has put over. What you
+must do is to pay no attention to her when she is aggravating. Don't
+quarrel with her. She enjoys that. Simply behave as though you couldn't
+see her at all. It will cure her. I'd rather see her chummy with you
+than Lola or Bess, either. Bess Walbert can't tell the truth to save her
+neck, and Lola is a selfish kid who thinks of no one but herself."</p>
+
+<p>"That's all true, Joan," Natalie said with unusual meekness. "I will
+really try to treat Les as you suggest."</p>
+
+<p>It was not necessary that evening to treat Leslie as Joan had advised.
+She was amiability itself. After ordering dinner, composed of the most
+expensive<a class="pagenum" name="page_200" id="page_200" title="200"></a> items on the menu, she rested her elbows on the table and
+announced: "I am going to hire a coach for you three girls. I have the
+address of an all-around sportsman who will teach you a few plays that
+no one can get by."</p>
+
+<p>"But, Les, we can't do much with only three to play," objected Joan.
+"You don't want those two sticks of juniors at our private practice do
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not so you could notice them. You won't have to play a trio. The coach
+will make four and&mdash;&mdash;" Leslie paused. "I shall make a fifth. I need the
+exercise. The coach needs the money. Besides, I propose to hire a hall."</p>
+
+<p>Joan and Natalie tittered at this last. Leslie smiled in her
+loose-lipped fashion.</p>
+
+<p>"I met this man at the beach last summer. He was coaching a private
+track team. He knows every trick in the sports category. He told me
+there were lots of ways of fussing one's opponents in basket ball
+besides treating them roughly. He said he had a regular line of what he
+called 'soft talk' that he had used with splendid effect. He gave me his
+address and said if ever I needed his services to write him. I had told
+him enough about the game here so he understood me. I understand him,
+too. This is my idea," she continued, leaning far forward and lowering
+her voice.<a class="pagenum" name="page_201" id="page_201" title="201"></a></p>
+
+<p>For ten minutes she talked on, her listeners paying strict and
+respectful attention.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a great plan," admiringly approved Joan when Leslie had finished.
+"It will take cleverness and nerve, though."</p>
+
+<p>"I doubt if I can do it," deprecated Harriet.</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly you can do it. After you work a week or two with this coach
+and learn his methods you will be O. K. You will have to give three
+afternoons a week to it; maybe more. I'll drive to Hamilton and hire
+that hall tomorrow. I'll wire the coach before we go back to the campus
+tonight. He's in New York and I can have him here by Saturday."</p>
+
+<p>"It's going to cost oodles of money. Why are you so bent on doing it,
+Les?" Joan asked curiously.</p>
+
+<p>"I won't be kept out of things." Leslie turned almost fiercely upon her
+questioner. "I loathe that nippy Robina Page and I hate Marjorie Dean
+and her crowd. They can play basket ball, I'll admit. I'll show them
+they are not the only stars. You girls have got to take a game away from
+them. You are not to play them for a while. You are to whip the freshies
+first. They are a handful, too. Later, you are to beat the sophs. With
+the help of Ramsey, this coach, you can do it, and I know it."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_202" id="page_202" title="202"></a>
+<a name="THE_SOFT_TALK_4814" id="THE_SOFT_TALK_4814"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+<h3>"THE SOFT TALK."</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The senior try-out did not take place on Friday. No aspirants appeared
+at the gymnasium. The seniors were not ambitious to shine as basket-ball
+stars. The freshmen went to work at once to perfect their playing under
+the willing guidance of Professor Leonard. The soph team was not quite
+so zealous, but put in at least two afternoons a week at practice. This
+team was the pride of the active director's heart. He assured them more
+than once that they could meet a team of professional men players and
+acquit themselves with credit. If he wondered why the junior five did
+not take advantage of his offer, he made no comment. While he took a
+deep interest in basket ball, he left all the arrangements of the games
+to the senior sports committee, preferring to allow them to do the
+managing.</p>
+
+<p>Owing to the delay in forming the teams, no games were scheduled to be
+played until after<a class="pagenum" name="page_203" id="page_203" title="203"></a> Thanksgiving. Directly college routine was resumed
+after that holiday the freshmen challenged the sophomores to meet them
+on the eighth of December. The sophs graciously accepted the challenge
+and beat the freshies after one of the hardest fought contests that had
+ever taken place at Hamilton. The score stood 24-22 in favor of the
+sophs when the game ended, and the tumult which ensued could be heard
+half way across the campus. The freshmen had fought so gallantly they
+came in for almost as much acclamation as the winners.</p>
+
+<p>Ready to give the defeated team an opportunity to square itself, the
+sophs challenged the freshmen to meet them on the following Saturday.
+The unexpected illness of Phyllis Moore, who contracted a severe cold on
+the eve of the game, resulted in a postponement. The freshmen team did
+not wish to play without Phyllis, though they announced themselves ready
+to do so by appointing a sub to her position. The sophs, however, would
+not hear to this. Thus the postponement was satisfactory to all
+concerned.</p>
+
+<p>The junior team, in the meantime, were keeping strictly in the
+background. Secretly the coach, Milton Ramsey, had been established in a
+hotel in the town of Hamilton and was busily engaged with Leslie's team.
+Never had Joan, Harriet and Natalie had to work so hard. Not only must
+they practice<a class="pagenum" name="page_204" id="page_204" title="204"></a> in secret. Leslie decreed that they would have to
+practice in the gymnasium with the other two chosen members of the team
+in order to keep up appearances. She was a hard taskmaster, but she kept
+her companions in good humor by expensive presents and treats. Further,
+she assured them that once they had beaten the sophs they could drop
+basket ball for the rest of the year.</p>
+
+<p>The rest of the Sans were not blind to the fact that the four girls were
+deep in some private scheme of their own. Coolly informed by Leslie to
+mind their own affairs and they would live longer and wear better, they
+gossiped about the situation among themselves and let it go at that. The
+majority of them were not doing well in their subjects and they were
+constrained to turn their attention for a time to the more serious side
+of college.</p>
+
+<p>Christmas came, with its dearly coveted home holidays, and the Lookouts
+gladly laid down their books for the bliss of being re-united with their
+home folks and beloved friends. This time Lucy Warner spent Christmas at
+home, taking Katherine with her. A four weeks' illness of Miss
+Humphrey's secretary had given Lucy the position of substitute. This
+unexpected stretch of work had furnished her the means with which to
+spend Christmas with her mother. The registrar privately remarked<a class="pagenum" name="page_205" id="page_205" title="205"></a> to
+President Matthews that Lucy was the most able secretary she had ever
+employed.</p>
+
+<p>For a week following the Christmas vacation, spreads and jollifications
+were the order in the campus houses. As Jerry pensively observed, after
+a feast in Leila's room, the world seemed principally made of fruit
+cakes, preserves and five-pound boxes of chocolates.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm always crazy to go home at Christmas, yet it is pretty nice to be
+back here again," she remarked to Marjorie one evening soon after their
+return to Hamilton, as she sealed and addressed a long letter to her
+mother.</p>
+
+<p>"I am so homesick the first two or three days after I come back that
+nothing seems right," Marjorie said rather soberly. "College soon
+swallows that up, though. I think about General and Captain just as
+often, but it doesn't hurt so much. Goodness knows we have enough to
+busy us here. My subjects are so difficult this term. Then there's
+basket ball. The freshmen are clamoring now for a game. Our team will
+re-issue that challenge soon, I know."</p>
+
+<p>"What do those junior basket-ball artists think they are going to do, I
+wonder?" Jerry tilted her nose in disdain. "I hear they are practicing
+quite regularly in the gym. They simply ignore Professor Leonard. I mean
+the three Sans. Miss<a class="pagenum" name="page_206" id="page_206" title="206"></a> Hale and Miss Merrill are awfully cross about it.
+They have to play with the team, and it seems Leslie Cairns is coaching
+it, or trying to."</p>
+
+<p>"I heard she was. I didn't know she could play. Funny the juniors don't
+challenge either the freshies or us."</p>
+
+<p>"They wouldn't win from either team." Jerry shook a prophetic head. "The
+Sans seem to have settled down to minding their own affairs since Kathie
+was hurt. I guess that subdued them a little. They slid out of that
+scrape easily. Hope they practice minding their own business for the
+rest of the year. Ronny says she is amazed that they can do so."</p>
+
+<p>Three days later the sophomore team re-issued their challenge. Sent to
+the freshmen on Monday, the game took place on the Saturday after.
+Another battle was waged and the score at the close of the game was
+28-26 in favor of the sophs. It seemed that the freshmen could not
+surmount the fatal two points. Deeply disappointed, they bore the defeat
+with the greatest good nature. They were too fond of the victors to show
+spleen. Nothing daunted, they challenged the sophs to meet them again
+two weeks from that Saturday.</p>
+
+<p>The next Monday a surprise awaited them. They received a challenge from
+the junior team to play them on the Saturday of that week. Though<a class="pagenum" name="page_207" id="page_207" title="207"></a> not
+enthusiastic over the honor, they accepted. Nor could they be blamed for
+being privately confident that they would win the game. It stood to
+reason that if they could so nearly tie their score with the sophs, the
+juniors would not be difficult to vanquish.</p>
+
+<p>When Saturday rolled around and the game was called, they took the
+floor, quietly confident of victory. It seemed as though the entire
+student body had turned out to witness the game. There had been plenty
+of comment on the campus at Leslie Cairns' sudden whim of acting as
+coach. Curiosity as to what kind of showing the juniors would make as a
+result of her efforts at coaching had brought many girls to the scene.</p>
+
+<p>Before the game began the freshman team were somewhat puzzled at the
+extreme affability of the three Sans' members of the opposing team. The
+trio met them as they emerged from the dressing room and hailed them as
+though they had been long lost friends. The impression of this
+unexpected cordiality had not died out of the five freshmen's minds when
+the toss-up was made. As the game proceeded they became dimly aware that
+this fulsome show of affability was being continued. Pitted against the
+junior team, as they were, it was most annoying. Nor did the three Sans
+play the game in silence. Whenever they came into close<a class="pagenum" name="page_208" id="page_208" title="208"></a> contact with
+one or more of the freshmen, they had something to say. It was not more
+than a hasty sentence or two uttered in a peculiarly soft tone. The
+effect, however, was disconcerting. Soon it became maddening.
+Involuntarily the one addressed strained the ear to catch the import. A
+sudden exclamation or ejaculation would have passed unnoticed. This
+purposely continued flow of soft remark drew the attention of the hearer
+just enough to interfere with both speed and initiative.</p>
+
+<p>Not until the first half of the game had been played did it dawn fully
+upon the freshmen that they were being subjected to an interference as
+unfair as any bodily move to hamper would have been. Further, the three
+girls were doing it very cleverly. It was not hampering their playing in
+the least. Ruth Hale and Nina Merrill were playing with honest vim and
+in silence. Their sturdy work was equal to that of any of the opposing
+team save Phyllis. She was as brilliant a player as her cousin, Robin
+Page. Being, however, of a nervous, high-strung temperament, the three
+Sans' tactics had effected her most of all. As a consequence, she missed
+the basket two different times. Besides that, she grew disheartened with
+the thought that she was playing badly and missed opportunities at the
+ball that would never have ordinarily slipped by her.</p>
+
+<p>The end of the first half of the game found the<a class="pagenum" name="page_209" id="page_209" title="209"></a> score 12-8 in favor of
+the juniors. The instant it was over Phyllis, who captured her team,
+gathered them into one of the several small rooms off the gymnasium.</p>
+
+<p>"Girls," she said, in low intense tones, her blue eyes flashing, "you
+understand what those three Sans are trying hard to do. Miss Hale and
+Miss Merrill are innocent. We can complain to the sports committee and
+stop the game, but I'd rather not. Basket ball rules ban striking,
+tripping and such malicious interferences. They don't ban talking. These
+cheats know it. They annoyed me, because I wasn't expecting any such
+trick. I never played worse. We are four points behind. It's principally
+my fault, too. All we can do with dignity to ourselves is to try not to
+notice their ragging during the second half."</p>
+
+<p>"Queer kind of ragging," sputtered Janet Baird. "If they'd say mean
+things we'd know better how to take them. Miss Weyman said right in my
+ear, last half, 'You freshies certainly play a fast game. How do you do
+it?' Her voice was as sweet as could be. It got on my nerves. Only for a
+second or so, but long enough to take my attention from the ball. That
+was her object."</p>
+
+<p>The other members of the team had similar instances to relate. The ten
+minutes' rest between halves was turned into an indignation meeting.<a class="pagenum" name="page_210" id="page_210" title="210"></a>
+When the recall whistle blew, the incensed five took the floor in
+anything but the collected, impersonal mood the game demanded.</p>
+
+<p>The three Sans had spent their intermission talking to Leslie. She was
+in high good humor over the success of her scheme. "You have them going.
+Don't let up on them a minute. See that they don't make up those four
+points. Hale and Merrill are playing finely."</p>
+
+<p>"They don't suspect a thing, either," declared Natalie. "I am afraid
+those freshies will set up a squeal to the sports committee if we win."</p>
+
+<p>"If? You must win. No ifs about it," decreed Leslie. "What can they say?
+You haven't broken the rules of the game. If they make a kick about it
+they put themselves in the sorehead class."</p>
+
+<p>Thus encouraged by their leader, the elated trio returned to the floor
+primed for more mischief. Advised by Leslie, they kept quiet during the
+first five minutes. Expecting to be again assailed by the irritating
+murmurs, the freshmen met with a welcome silence on the part of their
+tormentors. It lasted just long enough for the ragging to be doubly
+irritating when it began afresh. Now on the defensive, the freshman five
+steeled themselves to endure it with stoicism. Nevertheless, it was a
+strain and put them at a subtle disadvantage. They managed to make up
+two of the points they had<a class="pagenum" name="page_211" id="page_211" title="211"></a> lost. Fate then entered the lists against
+them. Janet Baird made the serious mistake of throwing the ball into the
+wrong basket. This elicited vociferous cheering from junior fans and
+spurred their team on to the fastest playing they had done since the
+beginning of the game. Needless to say they dropped their unfair tactics
+at the last and fought with fierce energy to pile up their score. The
+freshmen also picked up on the closing few minutes, but the game ended
+24-20 in favor of the juniors.</p>
+
+<p>The losing team made straight for their dressing room, there to relieve
+their pent-up feelings. Very soon afterward they were visited by the
+sophomore team. They had attended the game in a body and had not been
+slow to see that things were all wrong.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't feel down-hearted about it," sympathized Marjorie, as Janet Baird
+began bewailing her unlucky mistake of baskets. "We know how things
+were. So do lots of others. If the juniors should challenge you to
+another game, don't accept the challenge. We sophs hope they will
+challenge us. We think they will and try the same tactics with us. Then
+we are going to teach them one good lesson. After that we shall ignore
+them as a team."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_212" id="page_212" title="212"></a>
+<a name="A_CLAIM_ON_FRIENDSHIP_5041" id="A_CLAIM_ON_FRIENDSHIP_5041"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+<h3>A CLAIM ON FRIENDSHIP.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>After the sophomore five had heard a detailed account from Phyllis of
+what had occurred on the floor, they were more determined than ever on
+punishing the three offenders. The awkward hitch in their plans was the
+fact that Miss Hale and Miss Merrill, though players on the team, could
+not be included in their team mates' misdoings.</p>
+
+<p>"Some one ought to tell those two girls how matters stand," was Ronny's
+energetic opinion. "They must have been very dense not to see and hear
+for themselves. If they noticed nothing was wrong during the game, they
+must surely have heard things since. It's no secret on the campus. Talk
+about a good illustration in psychology! It was a deliberate attempt at
+retarding action by a malicious irritating of the mind. I think I ought
+to cite it in psychology class."</p>
+
+<p>Several days after the game Nina Merrill went privately to Phyllis and
+frankly asked her a number<a class="pagenum" name="page_213" id="page_213" title="213"></a> of questions. Receiving blunt answers which
+tallied with a rumor she had heard, she laid the matter before Ruth Hale
+and both girls resigned from the junior team. This put the remaining
+trio in a position they did not relish. The senior sports committee
+having received the resignations of the two indignant juniors accepted
+them without question. They appointed Dulcie Vale and Eleanor Ray, both
+substitute players, to fill the vacancies. As the Sans had been almost
+the only juniors to try for the team, the committee had little choice in
+the matter. Their appointment brought elation to their team mates and
+Leslie Cairns. "Ramsey will soon put them in good trim," she exulted.
+"Don't wait for those sulky freshies to challenge you. After the girls
+have had a week's practice, challenge the sophs and set the date two
+weeks away. That will give Dulcie and Nell plenty of time to learn the
+ropes."</p>
+
+<p>The Saturday following the disastrous game between freshmen and juniors
+saw the freshmen actually tie their score with the sophs. According to
+fans it was "one beautiful game" and the freshies left the floor vastly
+inspirited after their defeat of the previous week. Meanwhile the
+sophomores calmly awaited the junior challenge. They were better pleased
+to have the junior team composed entirely of Sans. They would have a
+quintette of the same stripe with which to deal.<a class="pagenum" name="page_214" id="page_214" title="214"></a></p>
+
+<p>Before the challenge came, however, the St. Valentine masquerade, the
+yearly junior dance, given on February fourteenth, claimed attention. It
+was, perhaps, the most enjoyed of any Hamilton festivity. What girl can
+resist the lure of a bal masque? The socially inclined students often
+went to great pains and expense in the way of costumes. Three prizes
+were always offered; one for the funniest, one for the prettiest, and
+one for the most generally pleasing costume.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know what to wear to the masquerade," Marjorie declared rather
+dolefully. The Five Travelers were holding a meeting in hers and Jerry's
+room. "I'm in despair."</p>
+
+<p>"Go as a French doll," suggested Ronny. "I have a pale blue net frock
+made over flesh-colored taffeta. It will be sweet for you. Shorten the
+skirt and it will make a stunning French doll costume. I have heelless
+blue dancing slippers to match."</p>
+
+<p>"You're an angel. Isn't she, Jeremiah?" Marjorie became all animation.
+"What are you going to wear, oh, generous fairy god-mother?"</p>
+
+<p>"My butterfly costume. The one I danced in at the Sanford campfire."</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to mask as, Jeremiah," curiously inquired Lucy.
+"Every time I see you I forget to ask you."</p>
+
+<p>"I am going as an infant," giggled Jerry. "I<a class="pagenum" name="page_215" id="page_215" title="215"></a> shall wear a white lawn
+frock, down to my heels, and one of those engaging baby bonnets. I shall
+carry a rattle and a nursing bottle and wail occasionally to let folks
+know I am around."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't want to dress up, but I suppose I'll have to," grumbled Lucy.
+"I'll go as a school girl, I guess. I can wear a checked gingham dress I
+have and a white apron, by shortening them. White stockings and white
+tennis shoes will go well with it. I'll wear my hair down my back in two
+braids."</p>
+
+<p>"I shan't tell you what my costume's going to be. Only you will never
+know me on that night." Muriel made this announcement with a tantalizing
+smile.</p>
+
+<p>"I would know you anywhere," contradicted Jerry. "I'll bet you a dinner
+at Baretti's that I'll walk up to you after the grand march and say
+'Hello, Muriel.'"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll bet you you don't," was Muriel's confident reply.</p>
+
+<p>"This dance has put a large crimp in basket ball," Ronny suddenly
+observed. "It seems to be at a standstill. Vera said today that she
+heard the juniors had challenged you sophs."</p>
+
+<p>"Not yet," returned Marjorie. "Robin heard the same thing. She mentioned
+it to me after chemistry today. Maybe we are due to get a challenge
+tomorrow. If we do we will not take it up until<a class="pagenum" name="page_216" id="page_216" title="216"></a> after the dance. We
+don't care to be bothered with it now. Do we, Muriel?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir. After the masquerade is over we'll then turn our undivided
+attention to laying the juniors up for the winter. That may be the last
+game of the year, unless the freshies yearn for another. I am tired of
+playing, to tell you the truth. I don't intend to play next year."</p>
+
+<p>"Nor I," Marjorie said. "I like the good old game, but it takes up so
+much of one's spare time. I shall go in for long walks for exercise. I
+have never yet prowled around this part of the world as much as I
+pleased."</p>
+
+<p>"I see where I grow thin and sylph-like," beamed Jerry. "<i>I</i> shall
+accompany you on those prowls."</p>
+
+<p>"I think I'll join the united prowlers' association, too," laughed
+Ronny. "I'd love to have a chance to prowl about Hamilton Arms, wouldn't
+you? I walked past there the other afternoon. They say that old house is
+simply filled with antiques. They also say that Miss Susanna Hamilton
+won't permit a student to set foot on the lawn. And all because she fell
+out with a member of the Board. He must have done something very
+serious."</p>
+
+<p>"It is too bad she has shut herself away from everyone," Marjorie mused.
+"She is probably unhappy. Leila says she looks like a little old robin.
+Her hair isn't very gray and she is quite energetic.<a class="pagenum" name="page_217" id="page_217" title="217"></a> She has a rose
+garden and digs in it a lot. Just to think. She could tell us the most
+<i>interesting</i> things about Brooke Hamilton and we don't know her and
+never will."</p>
+
+<p>"Sad but true," agreed Jerry without sadness.</p>
+
+<p>During the short time that lay between them and the masquerade, the
+Lookouts spent their free hours in arranging their costumes. Ronny had
+to mend a broken place in one of her butterfly wings. Marjorie, Lucy and
+Jerry had to turn needlewomen. While Marjorie and Lucy had to shorten
+the skirts of their costumes, Jerry busied herself in laboriously
+finishing the infant dress she had been working on for over two weeks.
+"I'll never go back to infancy again, after the masquerade, believe me,"
+she disgustedly declared. "Let me tell you, this sweet little baby gown
+is fearfully and wonderfully made. I know, for I took every stitch in
+it."</p>
+
+<p>The day before the dance the sophomore team received the junior
+challenge to play them on the twenty-seventh of February. Purposely to
+keep their unworthy opponents on the anxious seat they did not
+immediately answer the notice sent them. "Let them wait until after the
+dance," Robin Page said scornfully. "If we had not determined to teach
+them a lesson, we would turn down their challenge and state our reason
+in good plain English."</p>
+
+<p>The evening of the St. Valentine masquerade was<a class="pagenum" name="page_218" id="page_218" title="218"></a> always a gala one on
+the campus. Dinner was served promptly at five-thirty. By seven o'clock,
+if the weather permitted, masked figures in twos, threes and groups
+might be seen parading the campus. Eight o'clock saw the beginning of
+the grand march. Unmasking took place at half-past nine. Then the dance
+continued merrily until midnight.</p>
+
+<p>Hurrying from Science Hall after her last recitation of the afternoon,
+Marjorie crossed the campus at a swift run. She was anxious to be early
+at the lavatory for a shower before the girls began to arrive there in
+numbers. Coming hastily into the hall she glanced at the bulletin board.
+In the rack above it, lettered with each resident's name, was mail for
+her. She gave a gurgle of pleasure as she saw that the topmost of two
+letters was in her mother's hand. The other was not post-marked, which
+indicated that it had come from someone at the college. She did not
+recognize the writing.</p>
+
+<p>Saving her mother's letter to read later, she tore open the other
+envelope as she went upstairs. On the landing beside a hall window she
+stopped and drew forth the contents. Her bright face clouded a trifle as
+she perused the note.</p>
+
+<p>"<span class="smcap">Dear Miss Dean:</span> it read:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is too bad to trouble you when I know you are getting ready for
+the masquerade, but could<a class="pagenum" name="page_219" id="page_219" title="219"></a> you come over to my boarding house for a
+few minutes this evening at about half-past seven? I am in great
+trouble and need your advice. I would ask you to come earlier but
+this will be the best time for me. We moved this week to the house
+two doors below the one I used to live in, so stop at 852 instead
+of going on to 856. If you can find it in your heart to come to me
+now I shall be deeply grateful. I am in sore need of a friend.
+Please do not mention this to anyone.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:right'>"Yours sincerely,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
+"<span class="smcap">Anna Towne</span>."</p></div>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_220" id="page_220" title="220"></a>
+<a name="ALL_ON_ST_VALENTINES_NIGHT_5232" id="ALL_ON_ST_VALENTINES_NIGHT_5232"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+<h3>ALL ON ST. VALENTINE'S NIGHT.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Marjorie swallowed an inconvenient lump that rose in her throat. She
+would go to Miss Towne, but it meant a total up-setting of her plans. As
+she could not guess the freshman's trouble she could not gauge her time.
+She might have to be gone for some time, although the note read "a few
+minutes." It was too bad. She felt a half desire to cry with
+disappointment. If she went at once she could get it over with and not
+miss the dance. But, no; the note specified half-past seven as the hour.</p>
+
+<p>Presently she rallied from her downcast mood and took sturdy hope.
+Perhaps, after all, she would not be detained long. She was sure Anna
+had done nothing wrong. It was more likely a financial difficulty which
+confronted her. That would not be so hard to adjust. Jerry would have to
+know. She decided that the other three Lookouts were entitled to know
+also. She might have to call on them for help in Anna's case. They were
+her close friends<a class="pagenum" name="page_221" id="page_221" title="221"></a> and fit to be trusted with a confidence. She claimed
+the right to use her own judgment in the matter.</p>
+
+<p>"What a shame!" was Jerry's disgruntled reception of the news. "I think
+it is selfish in her. Why couldn't she have waited until tomorrow? It is
+probably a financial difficulty. She isn't the kind of girl to break
+rules."</p>
+
+<p>"A member of her family may have died and she hasn't the money to go
+home. It must be really serious," Marjorie soberly contended. "I ought
+to go and I will. There is no snow on the ground. I can dress before I
+go and wear high overshoes and my fur coat and cap. Then, if I am not
+kept there long, I can hustle to the gym and be there before the
+unmasking."</p>
+
+<p>Better pleased with this arrangement, Marjorie hastily gathered up
+towels and toilet accessories and trotted off to the lavatory, leaving
+Jerry to frowningly re-read the note. Jerry did not like it at all. She
+wondered why Miss Towne could not have come to Wayland Hall instead of
+putting her chum to the extra trouble of seeking her.</p>
+
+<p>Dinner was eaten post haste that night by the excited participants in
+the masquerade. Preparations having been the order so long beforehand,
+it did not take the maskers long after dinner to get into their
+costumes. They were eager to go outdoors and parade the campus, the
+night being pleasantly<a class="pagenum" name="page_222" id="page_222" title="222"></a> snappy with an overhead studding of countless
+stars.</p>
+
+<p>Fearless in the matter of going out alone after dark where an errand
+called her, Marjorie did not mind the rather lonely walk after leaving
+the campus. In order to escape parties of maskers on the campus she wore
+her own mask and therefore escaped special notice. Without it she would
+have been challenged by every party of masks she met. This was a
+favorite custom on this night. Frequently a member of the faculty was
+caught in crossing the stretch of ground and gleefully interviewed.</p>
+
+<p>Coming to the row of houses, in one of which Miss Towne resided,
+Marjorie kept a sharp lookout for the number. The house where she had
+formerly lived stood about the middle of the block. Finally she came to
+852, which she found by means of a small pocket flashlight which she
+usually carried at night. The arc light was too far up the street to be
+of use to her in this.</p>
+
+<p>Pausing at the bottom step of the dingy wooden veranda, Marjorie
+surveyed the house with a feeling of depression. The two windows on the
+left were without blinds and dark. There was a faint light in the hall
+and in the room on the right. The two windows of this room had shades.
+One was<a class="pagenum" name="page_223" id="page_223" title="223"></a> drawn down completely; the other was raised about eight inches
+above the sill.</p>
+
+<p>"What a cheerless place," she murmured half aloud. "It is worse than the
+other house. I suppose the landlady hasn't got settled yet."</p>
+
+<p>Mechanically she reached out and took hold of the old-style door bell.
+It did not respond at first. Using more force, it emitted a faint eerie
+tinkle. "It sounds positively weird," was Marjorie's thought. She smiled
+to herself as she rang it again. "I hope I shall never have to live in a
+boarding house like this. I am lucky to have love and a beautiful home
+and really every good thing."</p>
+
+<p>The faint sound of footsteps from within falling upon her expectant ear,
+Marjorie straightened up and waited. A hand turned the knob. The door
+opened about ten inches.</p>
+
+<p>"Good evening. Come in." Addressed in a muffled voice, Marjorie caught
+sight of a tall, black-robed figure. Before she could reply to the
+muttered salutation, she felt herself seized by the arms and drawn into
+the house with a jerk. Simultaneous with the harsh grasp of a pair of
+strong hands the light in the hall was turned out.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" She gave one sharp little scream and exerting her young strength
+flung off the prisoning hands. "Keep your hands off me," she ordered
+bravely.<a class="pagenum" name="page_224" id="page_224" title="224"></a></p>
+
+<p>Just then the door leading from the hall into the right hand room
+opened. The light from several tall candles shone dimly into the hall.
+She saw that she was surrounded by half a dozen dominoed masks.</p>
+
+<p>"Bring in the prisoner," grated a harsh voice from within the room.
+Despite Marjorie's command of hands off, she was given a sudden shove
+forward which sent her roughly through the doorway and into the larger
+apartment.</p>
+
+<p>Sureness of foot saved her from stumbling. Strange to say, she had now
+lost all fear of the company of masked figures in whose midst she stood.
+It had begun to enforce itself upon her that she had been hoaxed into
+visiting an empty house by those who had taken advantage of the
+masquerade to carry out their plan without undue notice to themselves.
+She was now certain that she was being hazed by students. She knew of
+only one group of Hamilton girls who would be bold enough to
+deliberately defy the strictest rule of Hamilton College.</p>
+
+<p>The masked company were attired in black dominos; all save one who
+appeared to be a kind of sinister master of ceremonies. This one wore a
+domino of bright scarlet silk and a leering false face mask that was
+hideous in the extreme. The flickering flame of the candles added to the
+grim and horrifying<a class="pagenum" name="page_225" id="page_225" title="225"></a> effect. A girl of timid inclinations would have
+been sadly frightened. Marjorie was made of sterner stuff. She had
+experienced, briefly, actual terror when she felt herself seized and
+drawn into the house. She had now recovered from that and was
+righteously angry. She determined to assume contemptuous indifference,
+for the time being, preferring to allow her captors to play their hand
+first.</p>
+
+<p>"Prisoner, you are now before the stern tribunal of the Scarlet Mask,"
+announced the red dominoed figure in the same harsh guttural tones. "You
+have been guilty of many crimes and are to be punished for these
+tonight. If you obey my mandate you will escape with your wretched life.
+Disobey and nothing can save you. You are now to be put to the question
+by one who knows your treacherous heart. You will remove your outer
+wrappings and stand forth. Question." The red mask made an imperious
+gesture. A domino on the left stepped forward as though to lay hands on
+Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"I shall not remove my coat, cap or overshoes." Marjorie's ringing
+accents cut sharply on the cold air of the unfurnished, unheated room.
+"If one of you undertakes to lay a hand on me you will be sorry; not
+only now but hereafter. I defy you to do it."</p>
+
+<p>Standing almost in the center of the circle of<a class="pagenum" name="page_226" id="page_226" title="226"></a> dominos, Marjorie cast
+contemptuous eyes about the circle of maskers. She fully intended to
+defend herself if further molested. She was one against many, but she
+could at least fight her way to the window, tear aside the shade and
+pound lustily upon it, raising her voice for help. She was certain she
+was in the hands of the Sans. She knew they would not court exposure.
+They had reckoned on completely intimidating her.</p>
+
+<p>A peculiar silence followed Marjorie's spirited defiance. It was as
+though the high tribunal were in doubt as to what they had best do next.
+With one accord their slits of eyes were turned on their leader. The
+domino who had been ordered to lay hold of the prisoner shied off
+perceptibly.</p>
+
+<p>"Bring forth the charges against the prisoner." The distinguished
+scarlet mask suddenly changed tune. While the hideous face within the
+close-fitting hood glared fiendishly at Marjorie, the real face behind
+it wore an expression of baffled anger. The unruly prisoner seemed in
+possession of an inner force that forbade molestation. Then, too, she
+was unafraid and all ready to make a lively commotion.</p>
+
+<p>A domino on the outer edge of the group came forward with a roll of
+foolscap, tied with a black cord. The cord impressively untied, amid
+dead<a class="pagenum" name="page_227" id="page_227" title="227"></a> silence, and the paper unrolled, the reading of Marjorie's crimes
+was begun.</p>
+
+<p>"Prisoner, you are accused of untruthfulness, treachery and malicious
+interference in the affairs of others. It is not our purpose to detail
+to you the occasion of these crimes. These occasions are known to the
+high tribunal and have been proven against you."</p>
+
+<p>"It is my purpose to demand proof," interrupted Marjorie with open
+sarcasm. "I am not untruthful, malicious or treacherous. I do not
+propose to allow anyone to accuse me of such things. I&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Be silent!" The Scarlet Mask had evidently lost temper. The command was
+roared out in a voice that sounded perilously like that of Leslie
+Cairns.</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie gave a little amused laugh. She stared straight at the red mask
+with tantalizing eyes. "Were you speaking to me?" she inquired with a
+cool discomfiting sweetness that made the eyes looking into hers snap.</p>
+
+<p>"Prisoner, you are insolent." The red mask was careful this time to
+speak in the earlier hoarse disguised voice.</p>
+
+<p>"I mean to be. It is time to end this farce, I think. So far as
+treachery, malice and truth are concerned you, not I," Marjorie swept
+the tense, listening group with an inclusive gesture, "are<a class="pagenum" name="page_228" id="page_228" title="228"></a> guilty. Some
+one of you deliberately wrote me a lying note in order to get me here.
+Now I am here, but your whole scheme has fallen flat because I am not
+afraid. You thought I would be. I will say again what I said to a number
+of you on the campus last March: How silly you are!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_229" id="page_229" title="229"></a>
+<a name="LOOKOUTS_REAL_AND_TRUE_5429" id="LOOKOUTS_REAL_AND_TRUE_5429"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2>
+<h3>LOOKOUTS REAL AND TRUE.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>While Marjorie had gone on to the reception a la masque which had been
+prepared for her, Jerry had donned her infant costume in a far from
+happy humor. She could not get over her feeling of resentment against
+Anna Towne, though she knew it was hardly just. Twice during the
+progress of her dressing she picked up the note from the chiffonier and
+re-read it with knitted brows. There was something in the assured style
+of it that went against the grain.</p>
+
+<p>"Where's Marjorie?" was Ronny's first speech as shortly after seven she
+flitted into the room looking like a veritable butterfly in her gorgeous
+black and yellow costume. "I am anxious to see her as a doll. I know she
+will be simply exquisite."</p>
+
+<p>"She certainly looked sweet," returned Jerry. She paused, eyeing Ronny
+in mild surprise. Ronny had broken into a hearty laugh. Jerry as an
+infant was so irresistibly funny. Her chubby figure in<a class="pagenum" name="page_230" id="page_230" title="230"></a> the high-waisted
+tucked and belaced gown and her round face looking out from the fluted
+lace frills of a close-fitting bonnet made her appear precisely like a
+large-sized baby.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I see. You're laughing at me. Aren't you rude, though? Ma-ma-a-a!"
+Jerry set up a grieved wail.</p>
+
+<p>"You are a great success, Jeremiah." Ronny continued to laugh as Jerry
+performed an infantile solo with a white celluloid rattle. "Where is
+Marjorie? I asked you once but you didn't answer."</p>
+
+<p>"Read that. Marjorie said I was to show it to the Lookouts." Jerry
+picked up the letter from the chiffonier and handed it to Ronny.</p>
+
+<p>"How unfortunate!" was Ronny's exclamation as she hastily read the note.
+"When did she leave here? I am glad she put on her costume before she
+went. She can go straight to the gym, provided she isn't detained over
+there."</p>
+
+<p>"She left here at five minutes past seven," Jerry answered. "I felt
+cross about it, too. It seems as though Marjorie is always picked-out to
+do something for someone just about the time she has planned to have a
+good time herself."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you suppose has happened to Miss Towne? She was your freshie
+catch. It's a wonder she didn't ask you to go to her instead of
+Marjorie."<a class="pagenum" name="page_231" id="page_231" title="231"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Well, she didn't. I have tried to behave like a father to her but she
+doesn't seem to notice it," Jerry returned humorously. "You see they all
+gravitate straight to Marjorie. There's something about her that
+inspires confidence in the breasts of timid freshies."</p>
+
+<p>"She is the dearest girl on earth." Ronny spoke with sudden tenderness.
+"Are you going out on the campus to parade? I am not particularly
+anxious to go."</p>
+
+<p>"Then we won't go, for I don't care about it, either." A double rapping
+on the door sent Jerry scurrying to it. Katherine and Lucy walked in,
+arms twined about each other's waists. They were a pretty pair of school
+girls in their short bright gingham dresses, ruffled white aprons and
+white stockings and tennis shoes. Hair in two braids, broad-brimmed
+flower-wreathed hats and school knapsacks swinging from the shoulder
+completed their simple but effective costumes.</p>
+
+<p>They came in for a lively share of approbation from Jerry and Ronny, of
+whom they were equally admiring in turn. Inquiring for Marjorie, they
+were shown the note and Jerry again went over the information she had
+given Ronny.</p>
+
+<p>"That note doesn't sound a bit like Anna Towne," Lucy said in her
+close-lipped manner as she laid it down. "I know her quite well, for she
+takes biology<a class="pagenum" name="page_232" id="page_232" title="232"></a> and has come to me several times for help. She is awfully
+proud and tries never to put one to any trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"This may be something that has come upon her so suddenly she hasn't
+known what to do except to send for Marjorie," hazarded Katherine. "I
+agree with you, Lucy. It does not sound like her."</p>
+
+<p>Another series of knocks at the door broke in upon the conversation.
+"Wonder if that's Muriel." Jerry turned to the door. "She may have
+changed her mind about not letting us know what she was going to mask
+as."</p>
+
+<p>The door opened. Jerry gave an ejaculation of undiluted surprise. The
+girl who stood on the threshold was Anna Towne.</p>
+
+<p>"Come in, Miss Towne." Jerry stepped aside for her unexpected caller to
+enter. "Have you seen Marjorie?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, no. I haven't seen anyone except the maid who answered the door. I
+came over to see if I could go to the masquerade with you girls. Phyllis
+and a crowd of Silvertons went out to parade. I didn't care about it, so
+I thought I would come over here."</p>
+
+<p>"Wha-a-t!" Jerry was almost shouting. Ronny, Katherine and Lucy were the
+picture of blank amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?" Anna Towne flushed<a class="pagenum" name="page_233" id="page_233" title="233"></a> deeply. She did not understand
+the meaning of Jerry's loud exclamation. Perhaps she had presumed in
+thus breaking in upon the chums.</p>
+
+<p>"Matter! I don't know what's the matter, but I am going to find out.
+Read this note. You didn't write that, now did you?" Jerry thrust the
+note into Anna's hands.</p>
+
+<p>The room grew very still as she fastened her attention upon the
+communication, supposedly from herself.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course I never wrote it." Anna looked up wonderingly. Almost
+instantly her expression changed to one of alarm. "There is no one
+living at 852 on our street," she asserted. "My landlady has not moved.
+I still live at 856. I haven't had any trouble. I came here dressed for
+the masquerade. I'm wearing a Kate Greenaway costume. See. She took the
+silk scarf from her head disclosing a Kate Greenaway cap.</p>
+
+<p>"No one living there!" came in a breath of horror from Ronny. It was
+echoed by the other three Lookouts. "Then <i>who</i> wrote that note and
+<i>what</i> has happened to Marjorie?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am going to find out pretty suddenly." Jerry sprang to her dress
+closet for her fur coat and overshoes. "Go and get ready to go over to
+that house, girls. One, two, three, four&mdash;We are five strong. Get your
+wraps and meet me downstairs. I am<a class="pagenum" name="page_234" id="page_234" title="234"></a> going to see if I can't find Leila
+and Vera. You had better wait for me here, Miss Towne. I'll be back
+directly."</p>
+
+<p>Ten minutes later a bevy of white-faced girls met in the lower hall.
+Leila and Vera were among them. Jerry had met them just in the act of
+leaving for the gymnasium.</p>
+
+<p>"I'd go for my car but if would take longer to get it than for us to
+walk. We must make all haste. Now I have an idea of my own about this. I
+am not far off the truth when I say the Sans are to blame for the whole
+thing. I would rather think it was they than that the note had been
+written by some unknown person." Leila's blue eyes were dark with
+emotion. "And that beloved child trotted blindly off by herself never
+dreaming that the note was a forgery. Well, I might have done the same."</p>
+
+<p>"I think you are right, Leila. The Sans have planned some kind of seance
+at that empty house to scare Marjorie. Probably they have dressed up in
+some hideous fashion. They could easily get away with it on account of
+the masquerade. The sooner we get there the better. We may be able to
+catch them, unless they have got hold of her and hustled her off
+somewhere else." Ronny's voice was not quite steady on the last words.</p>
+
+<p>The seven worried rescuers were now crossing the campus and making for
+the campus entrance<a class="pagenum" name="page_235" id="page_235" title="235"></a> nearest the direction of Miss Towne's boarding
+house. They were swinging along at a pace that would have done credit to
+an army detachment on a hike.</p>
+
+<p>"She wouldn't stand for that. She would fight every inch of the ground
+before she would go a step with that gang." Jerry spoke with a
+confidence born of her knowledge of Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>"They might be too many for her," reminded Leila. "What's to prevent
+them from throwing a shawl or something over her head so that she would
+be more or less helpless? I would not put it past Leslie Cairns."</p>
+
+<p>"They wouldn't dare be rough with her or hurt her, would they?"
+questioned Anna Towne.</p>
+
+<p>"No; but this empty house proposition is about as bad as I would care to
+tackle. They certainly have nerve." Jerry's plump features had lost
+their infantile expression. Here face was set in lines of belligerence.
+She was ready to pitch into the Sans the minute she caught sight of
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"This is the street. We are not far from the house now," informed Anna,
+as the seven turned into the humble neighborhood in which her boarding
+house was located.</p>
+
+<p>"Look!" Jerry, who was leading with Ronny, stopped and pointed. "There
+is a <i>light</i> in that house. Let's stop a minute and decide what to do."<a class="pagenum" name="page_236" id="page_236" title="236"></a></p>
+
+<p>"We had better go around to the rear of the house and see if we can't
+get in by the back door," suggested Vera. "After all, we are only seven
+in number, and we don't know what awaits us. We are fairly sure that she
+is in the clutches of the Sans. Even so, they are sure to have the front
+door locked. They are stupid enough to forget all about the back door.
+They are not expecting any interference."</p>
+
+<p>"You girls go around to the back. I am going up on the veranda. I shall
+try the front door. If it is unlocked I will let you know. I'd rather
+walk in on them that way, if we can. Now for some scouting. Don't make a
+sound if you can help it, girls. We want to take them by surprise."</p>
+
+<p>Separating from her companions, who stole noiselessly to the shadowy
+rear of the house, Jerry cautiously invaded the front porch. The shade
+which had been raised a little when Marjorie had come to the house was
+now drawn. Still she could see that the room on the right was lighted.
+With the stealth of a burglar she tried the door. It was locked. She
+listened at it, then stood up with a triumphant smile. From within she
+could hear the sound of voices.</p>
+
+<p>As softly as she had stolen up on the porch, she now withdrew. Her feet
+on the ground, she ran like a deer for the rear of the house. There she<a class="pagenum" name="page_237" id="page_237" title="237"></a>
+beheld dimly a group of figures drawn into a compact bunch near the back
+steps.</p>
+
+<p>"Front door's locked. How about the back one?" she breathed.</p>
+
+<p>"It's unlocked. Ronny just tried it," Leila whispered. "She says she can
+open it and go inside without making a sound."</p>
+
+<p>"Of course. She's a great dancer, you know, and light as a feather in
+stepping. Oh, fudge! You don't know. At least you didn't until I told
+you. I have given away Ronny's secret. She made us promise not to tell
+it right after the beauty contest. I don't care. I am glad you know it.
+I have always wished you and Helen and Vera could see her dance. She is
+a marvel."</p>
+
+<p>At this juncture Ronny joined them. In the darkness she did not see
+Leila's Cheshire cat grin, born of Jerry's unintentional betrayal. Leila
+had often remarked to Marjorie, who had told her of Ronny's concealment
+of her real identity at Sanford High School, that Veronica was a good
+deal of a mystery still.</p>
+
+<p>"That you, Jeremiah?" was Ronny's whispered inquiry. "I am going to slip
+in the back way and find out what is going on. Was the front door
+locked?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes; but I could hear voices from where I<a class="pagenum" name="page_238" id="page_238" title="238"></a> stood on the veranda. I
+couldn't sort 'em out so as to know who was who."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll soon find out whose they are." Ronny shut her lips in sharp
+determination. "Now for the great venture." Immediately she glided away,
+and mounted the steps with the noiseless tread of an apparition. The
+tense watchers heard no sound as she opened the door and stepped
+inside.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_239" id="page_239" title="239"></a>
+<a name="THE_BITER_BITTEN_5667" id="THE_BITER_BITTEN_5667"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2>
+<h3>THE BITER BITTEN.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>For five minutes they waited in silence. It seemed to them much longer
+than that when, quietly as she had gone, Ronny re-appeared on the top
+step of the dingy little porch.</p>
+
+<p>"She's in there," were her first words on reaching the waiting group.
+"We are just in time to make it interesting for the Sans. Now listen to
+my plan. What we are to do is this. I have this long black cloak and my
+mask. It's black too. I am going to scare those girls within an inch of
+their wretched lives. They are masked and in dominoes. You can imagine
+what Marjorie went through for a minute. I know a dance called the dance
+of the vampire bat. It is terribly, <i>horribly</i> gruesome. I am going to
+prance in on them with that. I have danced it in this very cloak. See
+how full it is." Ronny held up a fold for inspection. "I can make it
+look like wings. Then with the dance goes a very scary noise, half sigh,
+half whistle. By that dim candlelight<a class="pagenum" name="page_240" id="page_240" title="240"></a> in there it will be awful.
+Marjorie won't be scared. She has seen me dance it.</p>
+
+<p>"The rest of you follow me," Ronny continued rapidly. "Leila you come
+first, right behind me. Stop at the door where you can't be seen from
+inside of the front room and line up behind Leila, girls. Count fifty,
+Leila, after I am fairly in the room, then start that awful banshee wail
+you know how to give. At the first sound of it I am going to blow out
+the candle. Then the Sans are going to take to the woods. The minute I
+blow the last candle I shall grab Marjorie by the hand and flee for the
+back door. As soon as Leila has wailed twice every one of you make the
+most horrible sound you know as loudly as you can and hustle for the
+back door howling as you go. They will all try to get out the front door
+and in the darkness they will have a fine time of it. If they get a few
+bumps and scratches in the dark it will serve them precisely right. What
+you must be sure of is to get out of their way the instant the last
+candle is put out by yours truly. The whole thing must be carried out
+like a flash. I depend on your support."</p>
+
+<p>"You are a wonder," chuckled Leila. "My stars, what a party we shall
+have, with vampire bats, banshees and the like. We shall howl our best
+for Beauty. Vera makes a fine banshee, too. Now lead us on and confusion
+to the enemy."<a class="pagenum" name="page_241" id="page_241" title="241"></a></p>
+
+<p>Headed by Ronny the rescuing procession stole up the steps. They landed
+in the kitchen of the house and made their way through it and into the
+room adjoining which communicated with the short hall on both sides of
+which the two front rooms were situated.</p>
+
+<p>Due to Leslie Cairns' shrewd business methods the "high tribunal" stood
+in no fear of interruption. Leslie, finding the house vacant, had rented
+it of the agent for six months. She had stated that a few of the
+students intended to fit it up as a private gymnasium. As the agent's
+mind dwelt only on the glorious fact that he had been handed six months'
+rental in advance, after charging a rate per month which was three times
+more than the house was worth. Beyond that he was not interested in the
+tenants.</p>
+
+<p>The august tribunal had taken pains to lock the front door after them.
+Due to a squabble among themselves on their arrival at the house, the
+back door had remained unlocked. Dulcie Vale had been roughly ordered by
+Leslie to see to it. Dulcie was sulking, however, at Leslie's
+high-handed manner. She resolved to take her time about it. Then her
+interest centered on something else, momentarily, and she forgot it.</p>
+
+<p>About the time that the worried rescuers were starting from Wayland
+Hall, Marjorie was throwing<a class="pagenum" name="page_242" id="page_242" title="242"></a> fearless defiance in the faces of her
+captors. Her contemptuous arraignment, ending with an allusion to the
+affair on the campus of the previous March, was highly displeasing to
+her masked listeners. Angry murmurs arose from behind masks and several
+sibilant hisses cut the storm-laden air.</p>
+
+<p>"Ssss! Death! Show no mercy!" were some of the pleasant returns that met
+Marjorie's ear.</p>
+
+<p>The Scarlet Mask, thus-called, made a sudden move toward Marjorie as
+though to lay violent hold upon her. The other masked figures also took
+a step nearer. Marjorie braced herself to meet an attack, if it came to
+that. There was a steady light in her brown eyes which the Scarlet Mask
+did not miss seeing. She contented herself with stopping short directly
+in front of Marjorie and staring fixedly at her. The effect of two
+malignant eyes peering through the eye-holes of the hideous false face
+would have been terrifying to a timid girl. Marjorie was not to be
+intimidated.</p>
+
+<p>"Prisoner, your remarks are unseemly and ill befit your serious
+situation." It was evident the wily intention of the Scarlet Mask to
+ignore the guilty truth which Marjorie had flung at the masked
+assemblage. "You are one against many. It is not the purpose of the high
+tribunal to allow you to escape. You are at our mercy until such time as
+we shall choose to release you. You are pleased to<a class="pagenum" name="page_243" id="page_243" title="243"></a> pretend that our
+identity is known to you. You little know those before whom you now
+stand. You are in the presence of a group of stern avengers, sworn to
+see justice done to those whom you have maligned. Were we to remove our
+masks you would find yourself in the company of strangers. We know you.
+You do not know us. I warn&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Save your warnings, Miss Cairns. I am not in the least interested in
+them," interrupted Marjorie with dry contempt. "You might be able to
+make a child of nine years believe you. I doubt even that. I have heard
+of this foolishness. Malicious as it is intended to be, it is too
+trivial to be deceiving. You will kindly unlock the front door and let
+me go."</p>
+
+<p>A subdued chorus of derisive laughter, mingled with hisses arose from
+the "stern avengers." One of the tallest stepped out from the circle,
+which they had gradually been forming about Marjorie, and bowed low
+before the Scarlet Mask.</p>
+
+<p>"I recommend, your highness, that the prisoner be taught at once proper
+respect for the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask." The request was made
+in a voice that aspired to bass depths. It fell short enough of them for
+Marjorie to identify it as feminine, although she did not know to whom
+it belonged. She had had so slight an acquaintance with the Sans from
+the beginning.<a class="pagenum" name="page_244" id="page_244" title="244"></a></p>
+
+<p>"The prisoner will be taught proper respect immediately," vindictively
+assured the Scarlet Mask. Up went a scarlet-draped arm in an imperious
+gesture to a domino directly behind Marjorie.</p>
+
+<p>Like a flash, Marjorie whirled about to guard herself. It was precisely
+what the Scarlet Mask wished her to do. In the instant she turned the
+figure nearest the leader whisked something white from the voluminous
+folds of her domino. Marjorie felt herself being enveloped from head to
+waist in what seemed to be the heavy open meshes of a veil. It was, in
+reality, a large piece of fish net. She struggled furiously to free
+herself from it. While she struggled with two of the figures who were
+attempting to hold her, a third was busy securing the net in a hard knot
+at her back. As Marjorie was wearing a fur coat and cap, her attire was
+sufficiently bulky to prevent the net from being drawn very close. She
+had taken off her mask the moment she had left the campus behind her, so
+she could at least breathe without difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>Not content with the indignity they had trickily put upon her, two of
+the dominoes caught her by the shoulders and began forcing her toward a
+corner of the room. The others followed, closing in upon the trio, so
+that the silent, but still wrathfully-struggling prisoner would have no
+chance to make a sudden dash for the door when released.<a class="pagenum" name="page_245" id="page_245" title="245"></a></p>
+
+<p>The Scarlet Mask, now at the edge of the crowd which hemmed Marjorie in,
+elbowed a rough way to where she stood.</p>
+
+<p>"How do you like our methods now, prisoner?" was the satirical question.
+"You are going to leave us <i>at once</i>, are you? Why don't you go? 'You
+will kindly unlock the front door,' etc. Oh, my! Naturally we would be
+keen on doing so after the pains we took to secure your distinguished
+attendance here tonight. How very sweet you look behind a veil. Too bad
+you don't wear one all the time. You would&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"May it please your highness," interrupted a domino in hollow tones,
+"the time is going. I would advise that we leave here at once with the
+prisoner. A ride in the still night air may cool her fevered brain so
+that when we return with her she will be in a more reasonable mood."</p>
+
+<p>"I am also of that opinion," agreed a second. Several other voices rose
+in approval of the plan.</p>
+
+<p>The Scarlet Mask turned on them in a hurry. Not only angry at being
+interrupted in her harassing of the prisoner, she did not propose to
+take any dictation from her companions.</p>
+
+<p>"Who is running this affair?" she asked in the familiar tones of Leslie
+Cairns, minus her drawl. "This little, puffed-up hypocrite is not going
+to leave here until she promises to mind her own business<a class="pagenum" name="page_246" id="page_246" title="246"></a> hereafter.
+She is also going to promise not to tell where she has been tonight. She
+may think she won't, but she will, or spend the rest of the night alone
+here."</p>
+
+<p>A murmur of dissenting voices at once ascended. Half a dozen dominoes
+tried to force an opinion upon the Scarlet Mask at once. Eager to be
+heard, there was small attempt made at disguising voices.</p>
+
+<p>"You idiots!" Leslie rebuked in a rage, when finally able to make
+herself heard. "Have you no sense? Listen to me." Whereupon she centered
+her displeased attention on her helpers and berated them roundly for
+daring to set up an opinion contrary to her own.</p>
+
+<p>The dissenting dominoes were not to be silenced thus easily and a
+spirited altercation began. There were several of the masked company who
+were hotly against a punishment such as their leader proposed to visit
+upon Marjorie. Meanwhile, the cause of the altercation listened to what
+went on with emotions which were a mingling of wrath and amusement. If
+she had needed evidence to convince her that her captors were the Sans,
+she had it now. She knew from Leila that the Sans were noted for
+quarreling among themselves.</p>
+
+<p>After the violent manner in which she had been jerked into the
+untenanted house, she had not doubted that she might meet with further
+rough<a class="pagenum" name="page_247" id="page_247" title="247"></a> treatment. She knew that Leslie Cairns was quite apt to go as far
+as she dared. She resolved to show, no fear of her captors. She disliked
+intensely the idea of hand to hand encounter with them. It was utterly
+beneath her standards. Still she did not hesitate to warn them that she
+would defend herself if forced to do so. Once she was free of them she
+had not decided what she would do, further than that she would set off
+for the gymnasium post haste. Even before the unmasking her chums would
+miss her. If only she could reach the dance prior to that!</p>
+
+<p>"S&mdash;hh! Keep your voices down!" warned a domino who had taken no part in
+the ill-natured discussion. "I believe you can be heard clear out in the
+street."</p>
+
+<p>"Mind your business," snapped the Scarlet Mask. "I pay the rent here.
+It's nobody's business how much noise we make. Who amounts to a button
+on this alley? Don't be so cowardly. Even Bean has more nerve than you."</p>
+
+<p>This produced a laugh at "Bean's" expense. Behind her enforced veil
+Marjorie could not repress a noiseless chuckle. How she wished that
+someone would hear her captors and come to her assistance. No such thing
+was likely to happen.</p>
+
+<p>The admonishing domino, hitherto peaceful, now took umbrage. "You can't
+tell me to mind my own business or call me a coward," she stormily
+hurled<a class="pagenum" name="page_248" id="page_248" title="248"></a> at the scarlet executive. "You make me exceedingly weary!" Her
+further candid opinion was not calculated to flatter.</p>
+
+<p>"What you need is a midnight session here with Miss Bean," declared the
+Scarlet Mask, with a touch of cool purpose which caused the angry domino
+to flare up afresh.</p>
+
+<p>"Try it, and see what happens to you," was her instant retort.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, forget it. I merely said you needed it. I didn't say you would be
+left here. You are the last person I expected would go back on me." This
+with intent to mollify.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you shouldn't have&mdash;&mdash;" The somewhat placated rebel suddenly
+paused. "Hark!" She held up a hand for silence. "I thought I heard a
+noise."</p>
+
+<p>"Someone going by in the street," the Scarlet Mask asserted, after
+listening attentively for a moment. At the ejaculation "Hark!" the eyes
+of the other maskers had been directed with one accord to the door.
+After a brief interval of uneasy silence the discussion regarding the
+prisoner was resumed.</p>
+
+<p>The recently ruffled avenger who had given the alarm still continued to
+watch the door. She was not satisfied with her leader's explanation of
+the sound. Thus she was the first to note a shadow fall athwart the
+doorway. Her eyes widened with fear<a class="pagenum" name="page_249" id="page_249" title="249"></a> to behold an odd, black, winged
+shape hover an instant on the threshold, then flit noiselessly into the
+room. It did not advance on the group collected in one corner of the
+room. It lurched and dipped toward the windows like a huge sable hawk
+about to swoop down on a chicken yard.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_250" id="page_250" title="250"></a>
+<a name="APPARITION_OF_THE_NIGHT_5916" id="APPARITION_OF_THE_NIGHT_5916"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2>
+<h3>APPARITION OF THE NIGHT.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>"A-h-h-h!" gasped the startled watcher, pointing in horror.</p>
+
+<p>"Wh-h-s-s-ss!" The gruesome apparition uttered a sighing, hissing sound
+which increased in a weird, half-muffled whistle. Simultaneous with the
+whistle it darted to the nearest candle, extinguishing it with one
+whining "Puf-f-f!" With horrid grotesquerie it flapped toward another
+candle, bent on putting it out.</p>
+
+<p>The hood of the voluminous soft black cape which Ronny was wearing was
+slightly frilled. She had cunningly adjusted it so as to give her masked
+features an entirely different effect from that of an ordinary domino
+and mask. A moment's calm inspection would have assured the hazing party
+that the uncanny visitant was as human as themselves. Her spectacular
+entrance coupled with the one domino's fear-stricken alarm, had produced
+upon the hazers the precise effect Ronny had expected to<a class="pagenum" name="page_251" id="page_251" title="251"></a> produce. Too
+greatly startled to take action, a wild, long-drawn, piercing wailing
+next set in which was not quieting to the nerves. Nor had it ceased when
+a second eerie voice took it up in a higher key.</p>
+
+<p>By the dim flare of the one remaining lighted candle, the flapping,
+swaying shape and its hideous moaning whistle became invested with fresh
+dread, augmented as it was by that volume of ear-piercing echoing sound.
+Suddenly the last candle winked out, leaving the dismayed avengers in
+Stygian darkness. Their sharp cries and frightened exclamations were
+summarily drowned, however, by a new pandemonium of blood-curdling
+shrieks and groans which proceeded from the hall. Through the half open
+door leading into the hall came a menacing shuffle as of countless
+approaching feet. It was the final touch needed to demoralize the
+hazers. Forgetful of the two front windows, they bolted with one accord
+for the door opening into the hall, as nearly as each could locate it in
+the dark. Had a real enemy been present the hazers would have run
+straight into the arms of the hostile force. Their one idea was to get
+out of the house with all speed. As it was they showed a temerity born
+of panic.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of the hub-bub, Marjorie had experienced nothing more than
+a faint stirring of alarm at sight of the bat-like apparition. She knew
+Ronny<a class="pagenum" name="page_252" id="page_252" title="252"></a> instantly, and, guessing her purpose, prudently drew far back
+into the corner.</p>
+
+<p>"Come with me." Marjorie now felt the joy of a familiar arm across her
+shoulders. "The window. I just opened it. Quick," breathed Ronny. "I'll
+steer you to it. We must get away before they open the front door. It's
+locked and they will have their own troubles unlocking it in the dark."</p>
+
+<p>In a flash the two had crossed the room to the open window. The moment
+she had extinguished the last candle Ronny had flitted to the window and
+raised it under cover of the stampede. Through the fish net which
+enveloped her Marjorie could see a little, in spite of the shadow cast
+by the veranda.</p>
+
+<p>"Can you use your arms enough through that net to help swing yourself
+over the sill? It is very low."</p>
+
+<p>"I can manage," Marjorie softly reassured.</p>
+
+<p>Standing behind her, Ronny gave her chum such assistance as she could
+while Marjorie essayed a swift exit from the room which had lately
+prisoned her. The instant she found footing on the veranda, Ronny
+followed her. Catching Marjorie by the arm she said: "Run for the back
+of the house. I forgot to tell the girls where to meet us. I think they
+will wait for us there."</p>
+
+<p>A few running steps brought them to the rear of the house. A little
+group of dark figures hurried<a class="pagenum" name="page_253" id="page_253" title="253"></a> forward to meet them. The six girls had
+got away from the house without trouble.</p>
+
+<p>"All's well," Ronny was smiling in the darkness out of sheer
+satisfaction. "Let's go at once. We had better cross the next three back
+yards and come out to the street from between them. Hurry. We haven't a
+second to lose. We ought not talk until we are on the campus again."</p>
+
+<p>Silently, and with all speed, the elated fugitives put Ronny's advice
+into practice. Once in the street they proceeded north, putting distance
+between them and the Sans' rendezvous. It was a trifle farther to the
+campus by the way they took, but none of them minded that. All were too
+full of elation over the success of their adventure to think of much
+else.</p>
+
+<p>"The campus at last!" exclaimed Leila as the rescue party reached the
+gateway. "Let us stop just inside the gate and untie Beauty. She looks
+like a veiled Oriental in that rigging." Suiting the action to the word
+she began on the hard knot at Marjorie's back. "While I work, keep a
+sharp lookout for the other crowd," she directed. "This knot is no
+simple affair. What time is it, Luciferous?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fifteen minutes past nine." Lucy held her wrist so that the rays of the
+arc light over the gate fell directly upon her watch.<a class="pagenum" name="page_254" id="page_254" title="254"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Untied; thank my stars! Some knot!" Leila flipped the undesired net
+from Marjorie. Rolling it up she tucked it under her arm. "Unmasking is
+at nine-thirty. Let us be there. We can just make it, and it will puzzle
+some persons to tell who interrupted them tonight. Our talk will wait
+until after unmasking. Then we can dodge into one of the side rooms and
+have it out."</p>
+
+<p>"A fine plan," endorsed Ronny. "We are in luck to get here in time
+enough for the unmasking."</p>
+
+<p>The others heartily agreeing, the octette again set off in a hurry for
+the gymnasium. Five minutes afterward they were entering its welcome
+portal. They were obliged to make a frantic dash for the coat room. Once
+there, wraps and overshoes were removed with gleeful haste. The belated
+masqueraders entered the gymnasium just as the last, lingering strains
+of a waltz were being played. It had hardly died away when the
+stentorian order "Unmask!" was shouted out by a junior through a
+megaphone.</p>
+
+<p>"Here's where Muriel wins that dinner at Baretti's," declared Jerry
+ruefully. "I certainly did not walk up to her and say, 'Hello, Muriel.'
+Wonder where she is? I haven't the least idea what her costume is."</p>
+
+<p>"For the sake of old Ireland!" called Leila, pointing. "Now will you
+kindly take notice?"<a class="pagenum" name="page_255" id="page_255" title="255"></a></p>
+
+<p>A little shout of laughter burst from the participants in the recent
+adventure as they obeyed Leila's exclamatory request. Coming toward them
+at a carefully simulated stride was a handsome young man in evening
+dress. From his silk opera hat to his patent leather ties he was a most
+elegant person. He was not a particularly gallant youth, however, for
+his first words on approaching the mirthful group were:</p>
+
+<p>"Don't, for goodness' sake, ask me to take off my hat. How about that
+dinner you promised me, Jeremiah?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I <i>guess</i> so. Oh, but you are polite! Greet us with your hat on
+and beg for a dinner invitation. My, my! What are the young men of the
+present day coming to?" Jerry held up her hands in mock disapproval.
+"Anyway, you win. Your costume is a dandy. I never would have known
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"What may your name be, young man?" inquired Leila, her eyes dancing.</p>
+
+<p>"You may call me Mr. Harding. I shall not tell you my first name until I
+know you better," replied Muriel with an attempt at pompous dignity
+which ended in a hearty laugh. Setting her high hat on the back of her
+head she thrust her hands in her pockets and beamed on her friends.</p>
+
+<p>"You look for all the world like a debonair young man," Marjorie said
+admiringly.<a class="pagenum" name="page_256" id="page_256" title="256"></a></p>
+
+<p>"Thank you. Sorry about my hat. To take it off spoils the masculine
+effect. My hair is rolled under to look short. My hat keeps it in place.
+But never mind about me. Where have you girls been? I knew what your
+costumes were to be, so I watched for you from the minute I got here.
+Confess; you wore dominos over them so that I wouldn't know you. A
+number of girls did that on purpose to throw their friends off the
+track."</p>
+
+<p>"Wrong guess, Muriel. We weren't here at all until about two minutes
+before the unmasking." Jerry tried to speak carelessly, but could not
+keep an excited note out of her voice.</p>
+
+<p>"You <i>weren't</i>? Honestly?" Muriel showed bewildered surprise. "You
+weren't in dominos? Then where were you? Something's happened. I can
+read that in your faces." She glanced almost challengingly about the
+half circle.</p>
+
+<p>"Something happened, all right enough," replied Jerry with grim
+emphasis. "Marjorie has been through a real adventure tonight. She's
+been hazed by the Sans and rescued by the Lookouts and a few more good
+scouts."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_257" id="page_257" title="257"></a>
+<a name="AFTER_THE_FRAY_6090" id="AFTER_THE_FRAY_6090"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2>
+<h3>AFTER THE FRAY.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Closeted in one of the small rooms off the gymnasium, rescuers and
+rescued told their separate tales of what had happened that evening.
+Muriel was the only other girl at the private session they held. She
+heartily mourned the fact that she had not been with her chums. Even the
+glories of parading about in masculine attire faded beside the evening's
+adventure.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you going to do about it, Beauty?" Leila asked almost sharply,
+when the affair had been thoroughly gone over from both standpoints.
+Dressed as Finestra, a Celtic witch woman, Leila made a striking figure
+in her white and green robes as she sat on the low wall bench, hands
+loosely clasped over one knee, her vivid features alive with
+disapproval.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know. Nothing, I guess." Marjorie smiled into Leila's moody
+face. "It will scare them worse just to leave them in doubt as to
+whether or<a class="pagenum" name="page_258" id="page_258" title="258"></a> not they will be called to account. I can't prove that those
+dominos were the Sans, for I didn't see their faces. Of course, if I
+accused them of hazing me, in making a report to President Matthews,
+they would probably be summoned and put through an inquiry. In that case
+some of them would be certain to weaken and confess."</p>
+
+<p>"True," Leila nodded. "Dr. Matthews would be hard on them. He is so
+bitterly opposed to hazing. It would stir up a great commotion. They
+would be expelled. They ought to be," she added with force.</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly they ought," concurred Jerry, "but who cares to be the one to
+report 'em? I was thinking out the whole thing when we made our get-away
+from that house. They don't know and they are never going to, unless we
+tell them, who Ronny was or who did the howling. When they experience a
+return of brains, for they certainly were rattled, they will naturally
+guess that the surprise came from students. What they won't be able to
+figure out is whether they were hazed by another crowd or by Marjorie's
+supporters."</p>
+
+<p>"They couldn't be sure that Marjorie would not leave word with some of
+us as to where she was going," put in Lucy, "even though someone did put
+that line in the letter asking her not to mention it."<a class="pagenum" name="page_259" id="page_259" title="259"></a></p>
+
+<p>"They must have had high ideas of her sense of honor," smiled Vera.</p>
+
+<p>"I felt queer about telling the Lookouts, yet I believed it fair,"
+Marjorie said quietly. "I am glad I did. And now let's forget it and go
+and have a good time. We really ought to enjoy ourselves hugely, for I
+doubt whether a single Sans will appear on the scene tonight. If they do
+it will be late. I hope none of them were hurt in the dark," she added
+charitably.</p>
+
+<p>"Their fault if they were." Leila rose, her brooding face lighting
+suddenly. "You have a most forgiving heart, Beauty. As for myself, a few
+sound bumps will do them no harm. Make no mistake. Those of the Sans who
+are presentable," she smiled broadly, "will get here as soon as they
+can. All of them absent would be a grand expos&eacute;. Some must appear to
+take the curse off the wounded."</p>
+
+<p>At that very moment the members of the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask
+were engaged in trying to make themselves presentable enough to attend
+the dance. A crestfallen and weary company of avengers, they had at last
+made harbor at Wayland Hall. Miss Remson had retired early on account of
+a severe cold. The dance having claimed the other residents of the Hall,
+there was no one to mark the line of dominos which stole<a class="pagenum" name="page_260" id="page_260" title="260"></a> cat-footed up
+the stairs. There was considerable repairing to be done both to persons
+and costumes before the Sans could appear in college society. In that
+mad scramble to leave the dingy house, which Leslie Cairns had rented
+with so much satisfaction, there had been casualties.</p>
+
+<p>Natalie Weyman's cheek bore a long disfiguring scratch, caused from a
+too near contact with a fancy pin or ornament. A jab from someone's
+elbow had decorated Dulcie Vale with a black eye. Leslie Cairns, who had
+essayed to unlock the front door in the dark, declared resentfully that
+she had received more kicks, thumps and bruises than all the others had
+put together. Due to the fact that the whole party had worn flat-heeled,
+black leather slippers, which had been purchased in the men's department
+of a Hamilton shoe store, the casualties were less serious. Leslie had
+insisted on this measure as a further means of disguising their sex. The
+hazers had worn their masquerade costumes under their dominos, having
+been told by Leslie that they would not be more than an hour at the
+untenanted house. They could easily drop into the Hall and change
+slippers on their return. It had been Leslie's private intention to
+leave Marjorie there all night. Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Dulcie
+Vale knew this. The others did not. Hence the<a class="pagenum" name="page_261" id="page_261" title="261"></a> objections which had
+arisen, resulting in the quarrel that had been their undoing.</p>
+
+<p>There was not one of the hazing party who had entirely escaped injury.
+Tender toes had been trampled upon, jarring jolts administered, and
+scratches and bruises distributed <i>ad libitum</i>. Leslie was outwardly
+morose. Her inner emotions were too complex to be analyzed. They were a
+mixture of hate, fear, baffled pride and humiliation. The cherished
+scheme, concocted by her in the autumn, and on which she had spent so
+much time and money, had utterly fallen through. Exposure and disgrace
+stared herself and her companions in the face. Had not Marjorie
+contemptuously called her by name? While she could not prove her
+surmise, she could report the Sans on suspicion to Doctor Matthews.</p>
+
+<p>Now that it was all over, Leslie realized bitterly that she and her
+companions had behaved like a flock of demoralized geese. She had been
+as badly startled as the others by the appearance of the bat-like
+figure. She had recently read a very horrible tale entitled "The Bat
+Girl." It had haunted her for several nights after the reading. Ronny's
+clever imitation of a huge bat had momentarily paralyzed her with fear.
+The unearthly shrieks, wails and moans had also served the purpose of
+the invaders.<a class="pagenum" name="page_262" id="page_262" title="262"></a> Leslie sullenly wished her own plan had been half as well
+carried out. It was all the fault of her pals. They were always
+disagreeing. They never worked together. They never exhibited good sense
+in an emergency. Leslie decided that they should bear the blame for the
+fiasco. They would hear from her in scathing terms when she felt equal
+to upbraiding them.</p>
+
+<p>She had been the first one to reach the front door. Feeling for the key,
+which was in the lock, she had fumbled it and dropped it on the floor.
+As she had stooped to pick it up, she had been knocked to her knees by
+the onrush of the others. Callously, she had struck right and left for
+room to get to her feet. The key had remained on the floor. Knowing that
+she could not secure it until the wild onslaught on the door had
+stopped, she had tried frantically to make herself heard above the
+hub-bub. It was of no use.</p>
+
+<p>Presently the panic-stricken Sans had begun to understand her
+hoarsely-shouted words: "Stand still. The key's dropped to the floor."
+By that time the wails of the invaders had ceased and their footsteps
+had died out. An odd silence had suddenly descended upon the Sans. Very
+meekly they had obeyed Leslie's rude order, "Get out of my way," as she
+had turned on a small flashlight and<a class="pagenum" name="page_263" id="page_263" title="263"></a> located the key. The door opened
+at last, not a word had been spoken as the dominoed procession filed out
+into the starry night. Leslie had stepped out first. Stationing herself
+on the veranda, she had counted them as they passed, to be sure none
+were missing. "Save your talking until you get to the Hall," she had
+curtly commanded. "Down the street and hustle for the campus. Keep
+together."</p>
+
+<p>Bruised and sore, the avengers had again obeyed her without much
+protest. Dulcie Vale had attempted a belligerent remark but had been
+promptly silenced by: "You had better keep still. You are the person who
+claimed she locked the back door. If so, how, then, did that mob of
+freaks get in? I don't believe they had a key."</p>
+
+<p>Leslie had not condescended to speak again until they had reached the
+Hall. At the foot of the drive she had halted her party and given them
+further curt orders as to their manner of procedure. Her final
+instruction had been: "Get ready for the dance, then come to my room.
+Wear evening coats. It is too late for dominos now. The unmasking is
+over long ago. If you're asked any questions simply say we had a dinner
+engagement before the dance; that we thought it fun to dress in costume
+but did not care to mask. Now remember, that <i>goes</i>."</p>
+
+<p>It was half-past ten o'clock before the entire<a class="pagenum" name="page_264" id="page_264" title="264"></a> eighteen gathered in
+Leslie's room. Both Natalie's and Dulcie's facial disfigurements were
+such as to prevent their attendance of the dance. Leslie laughed
+outright at sight of Dulcie. "You <i>are</i> pretty," she jeered. Dulcie's
+wrath rose, but she swallowed it. She did not care to be taxed further
+about the trust she had betrayed. Margaret Wayne had twisted her right
+ankle almost to the point of sprain. Harriet Stephens had a lump on her
+forehead, caused by a forcible collision with the wall. Eleanor Ray
+limped slightly from having her toes stepped on. These five declined
+stoutly to leave the Hall again that night.</p>
+
+<p>"You can't very well go; that's flat," Leslie agreed. "I ought to stay
+here, too. See that." She turned her back, displaying a large
+discoloration on one shoulder about two inches above the low-cut bodice
+of the old gold satin evening gown she wore. She had not troubled
+herself to dress in costume. "That's what happened to me when you girls
+knocked me down and tried to walk on me. It is up to me to go over to
+the gym. I'll wear a gold lace scarf I have. This will hide this bruise.
+All of you who look like something had better go with me. I don't know
+what Bean will do. No matter what she tells or how far she goes, you
+girls are to deny to the end that you were at that house<a class="pagenum" name="page_265" id="page_265" title="265"></a> tonight. No
+one saw our faces. Who, then is going to say, positively, that she saw
+us, either at that house or on the campus? If we all say we were <i>not</i>
+the ones who hazed Bean, <i>and stick to it</i>, I defy the whole college to
+prove it against us."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_266" id="page_266" title="266"></a>
+<a name="THE_BITTERNESS_OF_DEFEAT_6272" id="THE_BITTERNESS_OF_DEFEAT_6272"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2>
+<h3>THE BITTERNESS OF DEFEAT.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>What "Bean" intended to do in the matter of her recent hazing was a
+question which worried the Sans considerably during the next few days.
+The very fact that they had escaped, thus far, without even having been
+quizzed by any of the students regarding that fateful evening puzzled
+them. True, they suspected Marjorie's four chums and Leila and Vera as
+having been among those who broke up the hazing party. They cherished an
+erroneous belief, however, that there were at least fifteen or twenty of
+the invaders.</p>
+
+<p>It was gall and wormwood to those of the Sans who attended the dance in
+its closing hour to see Marjorie, radiantly pretty, enjoying herself as
+though she had never been through a trying experience only three hours
+before. By common consent the rescue party, as well as Marjorie, paid no
+more attention to the Sans than if they had not been present. The dance
+had been such an unusually<a class="pagenum" name="page_267" id="page_267" title="267"></a> pleasant affair! More than one girl remarked
+early in the evening to her closest friends that things went along so
+much better when a certain clique of girls were absent. The Sans' junior
+classmates were not pleased at their late attendance of the masquerade.
+They criticized the Sans as selfish and lacking in proper class spirit.
+Thus the Sans fashioned a new rod that night for their backs of which
+they were destined later to feel the sting.</p>
+
+<p>The day following the masquerade the sophomore team sent the junior team
+an acceptance of their challenge. This mystified the Sans five even
+more. Under the circumstances they had expected and even hoped their
+challenge would be declined. A refusal on the part of the sophomore team
+to play them would give them an opportunity to intimate that their
+opponents were afraid to meet them for fear of being beaten. Deep in
+their hearts the Sans five were the real cowards. They dreaded playing
+against Marjorie and Muriel in particular. As Leslie gloomily said to
+Natalie, "Bean and that Harding snip will certainly get back at you if
+they can. I imagine Robina Page was one of that crowd who gave us the
+run."</p>
+
+<p>Leslie had been terribly out of sorts since the failure of her plot. She
+did not know where she stood at Hamilton as regarded safety. She was<a class="pagenum" name="page_268" id="page_268" title="268"></a>
+highly disgruntled by the lack of cordiality shown her and her chums by
+many students whom she had considered friendly to her. It was being
+forced upon her, little by little, that the Sans were losing ground.
+They had sworn to win back their lost power of the previous year. They
+had not done this. Now the game with the sophomores must be played and
+she was not in the mood to coach her team, nor were they in the mood to
+play. She doubted if they would dare make use of "the soft talk." The
+freshman team had expressed themselves quite openly on that subject
+about the campus. When taxed with it once or twice by juniors who had
+learned of it and deferred judgment, Leslie had replied with sarcastic
+bravado that the freshies had evidently "heard things" during the game
+which no one else heard.</p>
+
+<p>The game being scheduled for the twenty-seventh of February, Leslie
+allowed her bruised and shaken team three days' rest. After that time
+she fairly drove them to private practice. She pestered Ramsey, the
+coach, for new and sure methods of winning points from an antagonist
+until he resolved within himself to "beat it" for New York on the day of
+the game and leave no address. He had received a lump sum in advance for
+his coaching, so he had no scruples about deserting the ship.<a class="pagenum" name="page_269" id="page_269" title="269"></a></p>
+
+<p>Her five satellites complained bitterly at having to practice every day.
+All of them had received warnings in one subject or another and needed
+their time for study. Leslie was adamant. "Just this one game," she said
+over and over again. "After that we will settle down to work. I am not
+doing as well as I ought in my subjects. But you must play the sophs and
+beat them if you can. Don't try any of those new stunts Ramsey showed
+you unless you can put them over so cleverly no one will know the
+difference. You will have to be careful. You have a touchy proposition
+to tackle."</p>
+
+<p>Alarmed at the gradual decrease in their own popularity, the Sans five
+practiced assiduously during the week preceding the game. They hoped to
+make a good showing on their own merits. The coach glibly assured them
+that they were doing wonderful work with the ball. Toward the last of
+their practice they began to believe it themselves.</p>
+
+<p>They continued to believe thus until after the first five minutes of the
+game on the following Saturday. With the gymnasium filled by a clamorous
+aggregation of students, the toss-up was made and the game begun. The
+sophomore five took the lead from the first and put the Sans five
+through a pace that made them fairly gasp. All thought of cheating
+abandoned, they fought desperately to score.<a class="pagenum" name="page_270" id="page_270" title="270"></a> They were not allowed to
+make a single point. Behind the resolution of the sophs to win they
+demonstrated a peculiarly personal antagonistic force which their
+opponents felt, dimly at first, keenly afterward. It was the fastest
+game that had been played for many a year at Hamilton and it ended in a
+complete whitewash for the juniors. They retired from the floor too
+utterly vanquished to do other than indulge in a dismal cry in concert
+once the door of their dressing room had closed upon them.</p>
+
+<p>Thus Leslie found them. Signally discouraged, she experienced a
+momentary desire to cry with them. She fought it down, gruffly advising
+her chums not to cry their eyes out in case they might need them later.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't be so simple," was her barren consolation. "You don't see me
+bathed in salt weeps, do you? No, sir. Forget basket ball. I swear I'll
+never have anything more to do with it. I'll send that Ramsey packing
+tomorrow. From now on, I'm going to keep up in my classes and after
+classes enjoy myself. If we can't run the college <i>now</i>, that's no sign
+we never will. We can be exclusive. There are enough of us to do that. I
+don't believe Bean and her crowd are going to tell any<a class="pagenum" name="page_271" id="page_271" title="271"></a> tales on us. For
+the rest of the year we'll just amuse ourselves in our own way."</p>
+
+<p>"It's almost a year since we started to rag Miss Dean and had so much
+trouble over that affair," half-sobbed Dulcie Vale. "You are always
+making plans to get even with someone you don't like, Leslie Cairns, and
+dragging us into them. You never win. You always get the worst of it. I
+don't intend to go into any more such schemes with you. My father said
+if ever I was expelled from college he would make me take a position in
+his office. Think of that!" Dulcie's voice rose to a scream.</p>
+
+<p>"He did? Well, don't tell everybody in the gym about it," Leslie
+advised, then laughed. Her laughter was echoed in quavering fashion by
+the other weepers. Under their false and petty ideas of life there was
+still so much of the eagerness of girlhood to be liked, to succeed and
+to be happy. Only they were obstinately traveling the wrong road in
+search of it.</p>
+
+<p>Out in the gymnasium the winning team were being carried about the great
+room on the shoulders of admiring and noisy fans. Marjorie smiled to
+herself as she reflected that this was a pleasant ending of her
+basket-ball days. She had firmly determined not to play during the next
+year. Standing<a class="pagenum" name="page_272" id="page_272" title="272"></a> among her teammates afterward, surrounded by a circle of
+enthusiastic fans, it was borne upon her that she knew a great many
+Hamilton girls. She had not thought her friendly acquaintances among
+them so large.</p>
+
+<p>"You did what Muriel said you folks would do," Jerry exulted, when,
+congratulations over, Muriel and Marjorie were free to join their chums.
+"You laid the junies up for the winter. That team must have been crazy
+to challenge you. They played well, for them. Against your five&mdash;good
+night! A whitewash! Think of it!"</p>
+
+<p>"They deserved it." Marjorie's eyes lost their smiling light. The curves
+of her red lips straightened a trifle. "We paid them for ragging the
+freshies. They have had two hard defeats inside of two weeks. They ought
+to retire on them. They are lucky in that we haven't made trouble for
+them. Between you and me, Jeremiah, the Sans are not gaining an inch at
+Hamilton. The juniors are peeved with them for not taking proper
+interest in the Valentine dance. Many of the seniors disapprove of them,
+particularly since the game they won dishonestly from the freshies. Only
+a handful of the sophs cling to them. The freshies&mdash;I don't know. They
+are still about half Sans-bound. Just the same, democracy at Hamilton
+isn't on the wane. It's on the gain."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_273" id="page_273" title="273"></a>
+<a name="ON_MAYDAY_NIGHT_6425" id="ON_MAYDAY_NIGHT_6425"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2>
+<h3>ON MAY-DAY NIGHT.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>The whitewashing which the sophomore team gave the Sans five, who had so
+illy represented the juniors at basket ball, was a defeat the Sans found
+hard to endure. Adopting Leslie's advice, they carried their heads high
+and affected great exclusiveness. They also entered upon a career of
+lavish expenditure within their own circle calculated to attract and
+impress those who had formerly shown respect for them and their money.
+It was successful in a measure. They could be snobbish without trying.
+Nevertheless, they knew they had lost irretrievably. The backbone of
+their pernicious influence was broken.</p>
+
+<p>A warm and early spring brought the basket-ball season to a close sooner
+than usual. Despite Marjorie's resolve not to play again, she took part
+in one more game against the freshman. The sophs won by four points, but
+the freshies were such a gallant five, they came in for almost an equal<a class="pagenum" name="page_274" id="page_274" title="274"></a>
+amount of applause. They were dear to the hearts of the sports-loving
+element of students.</p>
+
+<p>As spring advanced with her thousand soft airs and graces, it seemed to
+Marjorie that a new era of good feeling had come to Hamilton College.</p>
+
+<p>"College is nearer my ideal of it than it used to be," she said to Jerry
+one bright afternoon in late April, as the two stood on the steps of the
+Hall waiting for Helen, Leila and Vera, who had gone to the garage for
+Leila's car. The five girls were going to Hamilton on a shopping
+expedition. The first of May at hand, the Lookouts and their intimates
+were going to follow the old custom of hanging May baskets. Leila had
+proposed it. The others had hailed the idea with avidity.</p>
+
+<p>"Mine, too," nodded Jerry. "When first we came back here we thought we
+would have to depend on our own little crowd for our good times. Now we
+have more invitations than we can accept. It's the same with lots of the
+other girls, too. There's a really friendly spirit abroad on the campus.
+The day of democracy is at hand."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope so. Anyway, things are pleasanter here than when we enrolled. Of
+course, we know many of the students now. That makes a difference.
+Still, there isn't the same chill in the social atmosphere that there
+used to be. Here comes our good<a class="pagenum" name="page_275" id="page_275" title="275"></a> old chauffeur, Leila Greatheart. She
+has been obliging and unselfish enough with us all to deserve a carload
+of May baskets. How many are you going to hang, Jeremiah?"</p>
+
+<p>"About a dozen, more or less," Jerry replied indefinitely. "I'll see how
+expert I shall be at making them."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm going to make Leila a green one and fill it with pistachio bars and
+green and white candies. On top I'll put a green and gold lace pin I
+bought yesterday in Hamilton. I'll make Vera a pale pink one and fill it
+with French bon-bons. I shall give her a very beautiful string of coral
+beads that Captain gave me long ago. Vera and Leila have both been so
+dear about taking us around in their cars, I want to make them special
+presents. The other baskets I shall just fill with candy or flowers."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll have to make a trip to the florist's late on May-day afternoon or
+our posies won't be fresh to put in the baskets. I shall buy some little
+fancy baskets if I can find them. My own handiwork may not turn out very
+well." Jerry had prudently decided to be on the safe side.</p>
+
+<p>Filled with the goodwill attending the pretty spring-time custom, it was
+a merry band of shoppers that invaded the Hamilton stores in search of
+materials for baskets. Cr&ecirc;pe paper, ribbon, fancy<a class="pagenum" name="page_276" id="page_276" title="276"></a> silk and bright
+artificial wreaths and boutennieres shown in the millinery windows were
+purchased in profusion. Dainty baskets were not so easy to obtain. The
+girls finally found the sizes and shapes they desired at the florist's
+where they placed their order for May-day blossoms. The confectionery
+they decided to leave until the day before the basket hanging, so that
+it would be perfectly fresh. "Don't insult your friends by handing 'em
+stale candy," was Jerry's advice.</p>
+
+<p>For four evenings following the first shopping trip, a round of gaieties
+went on in one or another of the basket-makers' rooms. Under their
+clever fingers the May-time tributes were fashioned rapidly and well.
+Even Jerry found she could do amazing wonders with cr&ecirc;pe paper ribbon
+and pasteboard, once she had "got the hang of the thing."</p>
+
+<p>The hardest problem which confronted the givers was how to hang their
+offerings and slip away before the recipient opened her door and nabbed
+the stealthy donor. As there was only one door knob to each door, the
+gift baskets must perforce be set in a row before it. Each girl had
+private dark intent of smashing the ten-thirty rule and creeping out
+into the hall after lights were out. This would prevent any attempt on
+the part of jokers to surreptitiously confiscate the fruits of their
+industry.<a class="pagenum" name="page_277" id="page_277" title="277"></a></p>
+
+<p>Marjorie was confronted by a considerably harder problem. She had a
+basket to hang which was destined to grace a door quite outside of the
+Hall. She had purchased a particularly beautiful little willow basket.
+Through its open work she had run pale violet satin ribbon. A huge bow
+and long streamers of wider ribbon decorated the handle. The basket was
+to be filled with long-stemmed single violets which grew in profusion at
+the north end of the campus. To the curious questions of her chums
+regarding the lucky recipient of the basket, she merely replied with a
+laughing shake of her head, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."</p>
+
+<p>When the first pale stars of May-day evening appeared, Marjorie took her
+violet basket and promptly disappeared. Wearing a plain blue serge coat,
+a dark sports hat pulled well down over her curls, she crossed the
+campus at a gentle run and hurried through the west entrance to the
+highway. Her flower tribute she had covered with a wide black silk
+scarf. Along the road toward Hamilton Estates she sped, keeping well out
+of the way of passing automobiles. Onward she went until she reached the
+gates of Hamilton Arms. She drew a soft breath of satisfaction as she
+saw that they stood open. She had noticed they were always a little ajar
+in the day time. She had feared that they might be closed at night.<a class="pagenum" name="page_278" id="page_278" title="278"></a></p>
+
+<p>Seized by a sudden spasm of timidity, she stood still for an instant,
+listening and peering ahead into the shadows. Then with a gurgling
+laugh, indicative of her pleasure in the secret expedition, she passed
+into the grounds and ran noiselessly toward the house at her best speed.</p>
+
+<p>One thing was certain, she told herself, as her feet touched the bottom
+step of the front veranda, if her presence were discovered there would
+be no disgrace attached to the apprehension. Her heart was thumping out
+a lively tattoo however, as she stole up to the heavy double doors and
+felt for the knocker. There was a light in the hall and in the room at
+the left of it. Miss Susanna was surely at home. Her hand closing at
+last upon the object of her search, she stooped and carefully set her
+basket on the stone threshold. Applying her young strength to the
+knocker, she waited only to hear it sound inside, then darted for the
+drive. While she dared not stop to look back, she thought she heard the
+creak of an opening door when she was halfway down the drive. Slightly
+winded from her mad dash, she paused outside the gate, flushed and
+triumphant. Whether the door had opened or not, she had at least
+succeeded in doing what she had set out to do.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<div style="margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em">
+<a class="pagenum" name="page_279" id="page_279" title="279"></a>
+<a name="CONCLUSION_6560" id="CONCLUSION_6560"></a>
+<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2>
+<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3>
+</div>
+
+<p>Miss Susanna Hamilton was not the only one to receive an overwhelming
+surprise that night. Opening the door of her room Marjorie found it
+dark. With a sharp exclamation she groped for the wall button and
+flashed on the light. Sheer amazement held her in leash for a moment.
+The first thing upon which her gaze became fixed was a huge white banner
+tacked above her couch bed. It bore in large red lettering the legend,
+"Merry May-day to Marjorie Dean, Marvelous Manager." On the bed,
+covering it completely, was an array of May baskets that made her gasp.
+There they were, the very ones she had admired most when her friends
+were making them.</p>
+
+<p>A trifle dazed at her sudden good fortune, Marjorie stood in rapt
+contemplation of her friends' tributes. Before she had time to go nearer
+to examine them, sounds of stifled laughter informed her that she was
+not alone.<a class="pagenum" name="page_280" id="page_280" title="280"></a></p>
+
+<p>"You may just come out of those dress closets, everyone of you," she
+called, a tiny catch in her voice. "I know perfectly well that's where
+you are."</p>
+
+<p>Silence followed her command. Suddenly a louder burst of laughter
+greeted her ears. From the closets on both sides of the room her chums
+emerged, fairly tumbling over one another.</p>
+
+<p>"If you will go out by yourself on secret basket-hangings you must
+expect things to happen while you're gone," Jerry playfully upbraided.</p>
+
+<p>"I never dreamed of any such lovely surprise." Marjorie looked almost
+distressed. "And I was so mean to my little pals. I wouldn't tell 'em
+who my violet May basket was for. You shouldn't have taken all this
+trouble for me, dear children. I'm not worth one little bit of it."</p>
+
+<p>"Go tell that to the second cousin of your grandmother's great aunt,"
+was Leila's refreshing response. "We all have good taste. Don't belittle
+it. Since you feel a wee bit conscience-stricken over the violet basket,
+you may square yourself by telling us who it was for."</p>
+
+<p>"I can guess," boasted Muriel. "It was for Miss Humphrey."</p>
+
+<p>"No." Marjorie shook her head.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I don't know; unless it was for Doctor<a class="pagenum" name="page_281" id="page_281" title="281"></a> Matthews," Muriel essayed
+with an innocent air. "You have a speaking acquaintance with him, I
+believe."</p>
+
+<p>A shout of mirth followed this ingenuous guess.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't guess again," Marjorie implored.</p>
+
+<p>"I won't. I've guessed wrongly both times. I don't know anyone else who
+might be in line for that scrumptious basket."</p>
+
+<p>"I know where it went, but I'll let Marjorie tell you," Jerry said
+calmly. "I told the girls they would have time to fix up the surprise
+before you came back. Vera did that lettering on one of her sheets in
+about five minutes. Maybe we didn't hustle, though." She had now turned
+to Marjorie. "Do you believe I know where you were?"</p>
+
+<p>Marjorie looked into Jerry's eyes and smiled. "Yes, I think you know,"
+she answered. "I'm going to tell you all." She swept her friends with
+affectionate eyes. "That basket was for Miss Susanna. I ran all the way
+to Hamilton Arms with it. I was a little afraid of getting caught by the
+servants, but I didn't meet a soul inside the gate."</p>
+
+<p>It was her friends' turn to be astonished. A round of exclamatory
+remarks went up at the information, followed by eager questions.</p>
+
+<p>"I can't explain why I did it," Marjorie began when the commotion had
+subsided. "I thought of<a class="pagenum" name="page_282" id="page_282" title="282"></a> Miss Susanna when first we planned to hang May
+baskets. I felt as though she needed one. She will never know who hung
+it. I hope it makes her happy. What <i>I</i> didn't expect was <i>this</i>."
+She pointed to her own wealth.</p>
+
+<p>"We felt sorry for you in your lonely old age," giggled Helen. "We
+thought you needed something to cheer you up. But we're not going to
+hang around here all evening. We are going to give Miss Remson a May
+shower. Get the basket you made for her and come along. This is my
+party. I've ordered Nesselrode pudding and French cakes from the
+Colonial. Think of that!"</p>
+
+<p>"Wonderful!" Marjorie's eyes were dancing. "She will be so delighted to
+have a surprise party. <i>She</i> really deserves one."</p>
+
+<p>"So she does, and so did you, and you have had one." Helen dropped a
+friendly arm over Marjorie's shoulder. Shyly she endeavored to convey an
+affection she could not put into words. It was a warmth of regard which
+Marjorie drew from those who had learned to know the fine sweetness of
+her disposition.</p>
+
+<p>"I think we are the only ones at Hamilton to hang May baskets," Vera
+observed. "It's a custom that ought to be brought forward."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a beautiful idea." Ronny patted lovingly<a class="pagenum" name="page_283" id="page_283" title="283"></a> the big blue bow on her
+basket for Miss Remson. She was extremely fond of the good little
+manager.</p>
+
+<p>"We ought to go in for more of that sort of thing next year," asserted
+Muriel. "Goodness knows we have had enough friction to entitle us to the
+peaceful pursuit of pleasant things."</p>
+
+<p>"'The pursuit of pleasant things.'" repeated Marjorie. "I like to think
+of that as our outlook for next year. We have had two years of hard
+fighting for democracy. I wish we might have peace next year and a
+chance to invest our Alma Mater with new grace, by bringing back to her
+some of these beautiful customs. As a junior I am going to think a good
+deal about Hamilton traditions, too, and impress them on others, if I
+can."</p>
+
+<p>How truly Marjorie carried out her ardent resolution during her third
+year at Hamilton will be told in "<span class="smcap">Marjorie Dean, College Junior</span>."</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center; margin-top: 2em;'>THE END</p>
+
+<hr class='full' />
+
+<p style='font-size:130%; text-align: center; font-style: italic'>SAVE THE WRAPPER!</p>
+
+<p>If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you
+have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome
+stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket&mdash;on
+the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt's fine series of
+carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your
+convenience.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center; font-style:italic;'>Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the
+Publishers, will receive prompt attention.</p>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<div class="figleft" style='width:100px'>
+<a name="illus-001" id="illus-001"></a>
+<img src="images/adv01.png" alt="" title=""  /><br />
+</div>
+
+<p style='font-size: 130%'>
+Marjorie Dean<br />
+College<br />
+Series<br />
+</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>BY PAULINE LESTER.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series</p>
+
+<p>Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High School Series will be eager
+to read this new series, as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in
+these stories.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>All Clothbound. Copyright Titles.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH<br />
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA<br />
+</p>
+
+<p>
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE FRESHMAN<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE JUNIOR<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SENIOR<br />
+</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the
+Publishers</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK</p>
+
+<div class="figleft" style='width:100px'>
+<a name="illus-002" id="illus-002"></a>
+<img src="images/adv02.png" alt="" title=""  /><br />
+</div>
+
+<p style='font-size: 130%'>
+Marjorie Dean<br />
+High School<br />
+Series<br />
+</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>BY PAULINE LESTER</p>
+
+<p>Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series
+These are clean, wholesome stories that will be of great
+interest to all girls of high school age.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>All Cloth Bound<span style='letter-spacing:6em;'>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Copyright Titles</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH<br />
+Postage 10c. Extra.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR<br />
+</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK</p>
+
+<hr class='major' />
+
+<div class="figleft" style='width:100px'>
+<a name="illus-003" id="illus-003"></a>
+<img src="images/adv03.png" alt="" title=""  /><br />
+</div>
+
+<p style='font-size: 130%'>
+MARJORIE DEAN<br />
+POST-GRADUATE<br />
+SERIES<br />
+</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>By PAULINE LESTER</p>
+
+<p>Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School
+and College Series.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>All Cloth Bound<span style='letter-spacing:6em;'>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Copyright Titles</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>With Individual Jackets in Colors.</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH<br />
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>MARJORIE DEAN, POST GRADUATE<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN, MARVELOUS MANAGER<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN AT HAMILTON ARMS<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN'S ROMANCE<br />
+MARJORIE DEAN MACY</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers</p>
+
+<p style='text-align:center'>A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore, by Pauline Lester
+
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@@ -0,0 +1,7057 @@
+Project Gutenberg's Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore, by Pauline Lester
+
+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: Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore
+
+Author: Pauline Lester
+
+Release Date: July 14, 2007 [EBook #22071]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Leila claimed the privilege of conveying the freshman to
+Silverton Hall, her destination. Page 115]
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN
+COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+By Pauline Lester
+
+Author of
+"Marjorie Dean, College Freshman,"
+"Marjorie Dean, College Junior,"
+"Marjorie Dean, College Senior,"
+and
+The Marjorie Dean High School Series
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY
+Publishers--New York
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+The Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+A Series of Stories for Girls 12 to 18 Years of Age
+
+By Pauline Lester
+
+Marjorie Dean, College Freshman
+Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore
+Marjorie Dean, College Junior
+Marjorie Dean, College Senior
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Copyright, 1922
+By A. L. BURT COMPANY
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+Made in "U. S. A."
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE RETURN.
+
+
+"Hamilton, at last!" Marjorie Dean's utterance expressed her satisfaction
+of the journey's near end.
+
+"Yes; Hamilton, at last," repeated Muriel Harding. "This September it
+doesn't matter a particle whether or not we are met at the station. We
+are sophomores. We know what to do and where to go without the help of
+the celebrated Sans Soucians." Muriel's inflection was one of sarcasm.
+
+"All the help they ever gave us as freshmen can be told in two words:
+_no help_. Forget the Sans. I hate to think of them. I hope not one of
+them is back. The station platform will look beautiful without them."
+Jerry Macy delivered herself of this uncomplimentary opinion as she
+began methodically to gather up her luggage.
+
+"How very sad to see two Hamiltonites so utterly lacking in college
+spirit." Veronica Lynne simulated pained surprise.
+
+"Yes; isn't it?" retorted Jerry. "Whose fault is it that Muriel and I
+haven't last year's trusting faith in reception committees? Recall how
+we stood on the station platform like a flock of dummies with no one to
+bid us the time of day or say a kind word to us. No wonder my love for
+the Sans is a minus quantity."
+
+"You aren't following your own advice," calmly criticized Lucy Warner.
+"You said 'Forget the Sans' and went right on talking about them."
+
+"'And thou, too, Brutus!'" Jerry dramatically struck her hand to her
+forehead. "It is getting to the point where one can't say a single word
+around here without being called to account for it. This distressing
+state of affairs must stop." She frowned portentously at Lucy, who
+merely giggled. "You may blame Ronny for egging me on to further cutting
+remarks about the Sans. I was prepared to forget them until she
+undertook to call Muriel and I down. Then I simply had to defend our
+position."
+
+"What position?" innocently queried Ronny. "I was not aware that you and
+Muriel----"
+
+"The train has stopped. Didn't you know it?" was Marjorie's amused
+interruption. "Stop squabbling and come along." She was already in the
+aisle and impatient to be on the move. "Helen Trent is out on the
+platform, Jeremiah. I just caught a glimpse of her. I hope Leila and
+Vera are out there, too. Let me assist you into the aisle." Marjorie
+playfully gripped Jerry's arm in a vain effort to draw her to her feet.
+
+"Thank you. I can assist myself. I am not yet aged enough to require
+your services. You may carry my suitcase, if you like. It's as heavy as
+lead."
+
+"Charmed, but unfortunately I have one to carry equally heavy," Marjorie
+hastily declined. "I only offered to haul you up from the seat. My offer
+didn't include luggage carrying."
+
+"You are a fake." Jerry rose and prepared to follow Marjorie down the
+aisle. As she went she peered anxiously out of the car windows for a
+first glimpse of her particular friend, Helen Trent.
+
+The eyes of the other four Lookouts were also turned eagerly toward the
+station platform in search of their Hamilton friends.
+
+A year had elapsed since first the Five Travelers, as the quintette of
+Sanford girls had named themselves, had set foot in the Country of
+College. Each was recalling now how very strangely she had felt on first
+glimpsing Hamilton station with its bevy of laughing, chatting girls,
+not one of whom they knew. Then they had been entering freshmen, with
+everything to learn about college. Now they were sophomores, with a year
+of college experience to their credit. What befell Marjorie Dean and her
+four Lookout chums as freshmen at Hamilton College has already been
+recounted in "Marjorie Dean, College Freshman."
+
+"Hooray!" rejoiced Jerry, from the top step of the train, waving her
+handbag, a magazine and a tennis racket, all of which she clutched in
+her right hand. This vociferous greeting was for Helen, who was making
+equally vociferous signals of jubilation at the descending travelers.
+
+Marjorie had also caught sight of Leila Harper and Vera Mason, and was
+waving them a welcome. Lucy's eyes were fixed on Katherine Langly, whom
+she knew had come down to the station especially to meet her. Veronica
+and Muriel were exchanging gay hand salutations with a group of
+Silverton Hall girls prior to greeting them on the platform. An instant
+and the Five Travelers were free of the train and surrounded.
+
+"And is it yourself?" Leila Harper was hugging Marjorie in an excess of
+true Irish affection. "Vera had a hunch this morning that you would be
+here today. I said it was too early; that you wouldn't be here until the
+first of next week. She would have it her way, so we drove down to meet
+this train. Now I know she has the gifted eye and the seeing mind, as we
+Irish say."
+
+"It is a good thing for us that she had that hunch," declared Marjorie,
+turning to Vera and holding out both hands. "I was hoping you would both
+be here to meet us. I would have wired you, Leila, but was not sure that
+you would be back at Hamilton so early. We are here a week earlier than
+last year. We wanted to be at home as long as we could, but we felt
+that, as sophomores, we ought to come back earlier to help the freshies.
+We had such a lonesome time on our freshman appearance at Hamilton, you
+know."
+
+"Yes, I know," returned Leila significantly. "That was one of the Sans'
+performances which was never explained. Away with them. This is no time
+to think of them. The rest of your Lookouts are running off and leaving
+you, Beauty." This last had been Leila's pet name for Marjorie since the
+latter had won the title at a beauty contest given the previous year at
+the freshman frolic.
+
+"They'd better not run far. I am going to take you all back to college
+in my car," Vera hospitably informed Marjorie. "Leila brought Helen
+Trent, Katherine, Ethel Laird and Martha Merrick to the station in her
+car. Ethel expects a freshman cousin from Troy, New York. Martha came
+along because she had nothing else to do. She said she would like to
+see if my hunch came true. She had never yet heard of one that amounted
+to a row of pins. She was sure you would not be on the 5.50 train. Oh,
+wait until I catch sight of her! She's circulating around the platform
+somewhere."
+
+"So are my pals." Marjorie glanced about her, endeavoring to locate her
+chums. None of them were far away. Lucy and Katherine Langly were
+already approaching. Muriel and Ronny were still engaged with the group
+of Silverton Hall girls. Neither Robina Page nor Portia Graham were
+among them. It was quite likely they had not yet returned to Hamilton.
+
+"Just as soon as we can collect your crowd, Marjorie, we'll spin you
+along to the Hall. Then, I beg to inform you, you are needed at a grand
+rally at Baretti's. Let us have faith in the stars that those four pals
+of yours have not recklessly accepted invitations to other celebrations.
+And if they have, I shall be in a high temper. I warn you." Leila showed
+her white teeth in a smile that was certainly no indication of
+ill-temper.
+
+"They haven't, Leila," Marjorie happily assured. She was thinking what a
+joy it was to see Leila again. "On the train we all agreed not to accept
+any invitations to dinner on this first evening. Our plan was to take
+you and Vera, Helen and Katherine and Hortense Barlow to Baretti's for a
+feast, provided you were all here. If some of you were missing, then we
+thought we would take those of you who had come back to the Colonial,
+and wait until you all arrived for the other celebration. You see, it is
+to be what you might call a 'first friends'' party. Helen was the first
+girl we met. Now she and Jerry are college pals. Katherine is Lucy's
+first friend. Muriel is so fond of Hortense, and Ronny and I look upon
+you and Vera as nearer than any of the others. I am fond of Robin Page,
+and Portia Graham, too. They really ought to be included. Are they here,
+and how long have you and Vera been back?"
+
+Marjorie made her explanations and asked her questions almost in the
+same breath.
+
+"We have been here three days. We have been really busy though. We had
+our unpacking to do, and we changed the furniture around in our room. We
+spent one whole afternoon playing golf. We both adore the Hamilton
+links. The time has gone fast, although we have missed our own
+particular cronies, especially in the evenings. Now we can have a few
+jollifications before college starts." Vera answered for Leila, who had
+turned to greet Lucy Warner.
+
+Presently Muriel and Ronny joined them, to be warmly welcomed by the two
+juniors. Jerry and Helen Trent were the last to arrive. With their
+appearance among the group of staunch comrades, the entire party began a
+slow walk down the platform and toward the stairs which led away from
+the station.
+
+"If you are in search of information as to who's where and when you may
+expect them, ask Helen. As I used to say of myself, 'I know everything
+about everybody,' I now pass on that same saying to my esteemed friend,
+Miss Trent." Jerry beamed on Helen with exaggerated admiration.
+
+"Now, Jeremiah, don't you think that a rather sweeping statement? There
+may be just a _few_ students at Hamilton I don't happen to be informed
+about. You will give our friends here the impression that I am a
+busybody. Remember I am now a junior. Try to treat me with more
+respect." Helen smiled indolent good nature as she thus admonished
+Jerry.
+
+"I'll try, but that's all the good it will do. The whole trouble is, you
+don't command my awe and respect," complained Jerry.
+
+"Neither do you inspire such feelings in me," placidly returned Helen.
+"We'll simply have to go on being disrespectful to each other," she
+ended, with a chuckle which Jerry echoed.
+
+"Let us see." The little company had reached the place where Leila and
+Vera had parked their cars. Leila now cast speculative eyes over the
+group. "Martha is missing. Ethel must have found her cousin, surely. If
+she did not find her she was to go back to the campus with us. I lost
+track of her after the train whistled in. Martha is probably with Ethel;
+helping to impress the freshman cousin with junior estate," Leila made
+whimsical guess. "I think we are ready to start. Nine of us; that's four
+to your car and five to mine, Midget."
+
+"All right," returned Vera. "Choose your five, or, better, let your five
+choose you. The sooner we start, the sooner we will reach the Hall. That
+means a longer time to celebrate tonight."
+
+"Delighted to ride with either of you," assured Muriel. "The main
+feature of this occasion is the beautiful fact that we are cherished
+enough to be actually met at the station and asked to ride in folks'
+automobiles."
+
+"Muriel can't get over the freezing-out we met with last September,"
+commented Ronny.
+
+"Neither can I. I feel chilly every time I think of it. Br-r-r!" Jerry
+made pretense of shivering.
+
+"Well, we all know whose fault that was," shrugged Leila.
+
+"Precisely what I said just before we left the train," nodded Jerry. "We
+couldn't understand for a long time why those three Sans should have
+taken it upon themselves at all to meet our train. We have a clear idea
+now of why it was. Tonight, at the celebration, I'll hold forth on the
+subject. Let us not mar the sweet joy of meeting by gossiping," she
+ended with an irresistibly funny simper.
+
+"No; let us not," echoed Leila dryly. "Be quick with your choosing now.
+Time will keep on flying."
+
+Five minutes later, Marjorie, Ronny, Helen and Jerry were leaving the
+station yard in Leila's car. Muriel, Lucy, Katherine and Vera occupied
+the latter's smart limousine. In comparison with the subdued almost sad
+little party they had been on the previous September, the Five Travelers
+were now a very merry company of adventurers in the Country of College.
+
+On the front seat of Leila's roadster, beside Leila, Marjorie was silent
+for a little, as Leila skilfully guided the trim roadster in and out of
+the considerable traffic of Herndon Avenue, Hamilton's main
+thoroughfare.
+
+"Have you seen any of the Sans yet, Leila?" she presently questioned.
+The car was now turning into Highland Avenue, which led directly to
+Hamilton Estates. Marjorie glimpsed, in passing, the same wealth of
+colorful leaf and bloom she had so greatly admired when driving through
+the pretty town the previous autumn.
+
+"No signs of them yet," Leila made reply. "I am not grieving. I am
+wondering if they will be at the Hall again this year. Miss Remson
+doesn't want them; that I know. After they made the trouble for you, she
+declared she would not let them come back if she could help it."
+
+"I know." Marjorie was silent for a moment. "I had a talk with Miss
+Remson in June, just before college closed," she said slowly. "I asked
+her not to make a complaint to President Matthews on my account. I told
+her it would not make any difference to me if they stayed at the Hall. I
+did not believe it would make any to the rest of the girls. None of us
+had spoken to them since the meeting in the living room. None of us were
+in the least afraid of them. We had as much right to be at the Hall as
+they. She finally promised to leave me out of it entirely, but she
+intended to make complaint against them on her own account."
+
+"Then they will soon be here, lug and luggage," predicted Leila with a
+groan. "It is the way they treated you that would have counted against
+them. Our president is a stickler for honor. He might readily expel them
+for that very performance."
+
+"That is what I was afraid of. I should not wish a student expelled from
+Hamilton on my account. It was hard enough to have to call them to
+account, as we did last March."
+
+"They have had all summer to get over the shock. They'll be planning
+new trouble this fall." Leila spoke with the confidence of belief.
+"Leslie Cairns never gives up. Are you ready to fight them again,
+Beauty?" Leila eyed Marjorie quizzically. She asked the question in the
+odd, level tone she had used on first acquaintance with Marjorie.
+
+"I think this: Our best way to fight the Sans is by influence. Their
+influence, founded as it is on money values, is not beneficial to
+Hamilton College. Ours should be founded strictly on observing the
+traditions of Hamilton. We must make other students see that, too. We
+can't lecture on the subject, of course. It will have to be a silent
+struggle for nobler aims. I hardly know how to explain my meaning. I
+only wish everyone else here had the same feeling of reverence for
+Hamilton that I have."
+
+Marjorie paused, quite at a loss to put into words all that was in her
+heart. As they talked, the roadster had been spinning rapidly along
+through Hamilton Estates. Suddenly the campus, of living velvety green,
+appeared upon their view. The old, potent spell of its beauty gripped
+the little lieutenant afresh. She had a desire to rise in the seat and
+shout a welcome to her first Hamilton friend. A verse of a forest hymn
+she had learned as a child in the grade schools sprang to her memory. It
+was so well suited to the campus.
+
+"I've always loved the campus, Leila," she began. "I call it my first
+friend and the chimes my second. Those two things meant the most to me
+when first we came to Hamilton and felt so out of the college picture.
+Just now I happened to recall a verse of a song we used to sing in
+school. It is a hymn to the forest, but it describes Hamilton campus and
+all the college itself should stand for." Marjorie repeated the verse,
+her eyes on the rolling emerald spread:
+
+    "Who rightly scans thy beauty, a world of truth must read;
+    Of life and hope and duty; our help in time of need.
+    And I have read them often, those words so true and clear,
+    What heart that would not soften, thy wisdom to revere."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+A CELEBRATION AT BARETTI'S.
+
+
+The Lookouts' plan to entertain their friends at either Baretti's or the
+Colonial on their first evening at Hamilton was over-ruled by Leila and
+Vera. As Hortense Barlow, Robina Page and Portia Graham were still
+missing from their circle of friends, they agreed to postpone their own
+celebration until the missing ones should have returned to Hamilton.
+Thus Vera and Leila gained their point and were in high glee over it.
+Privately they were glad to have the Lookouts to themselves for the
+evening, with the addition only of Katherine and Helen.
+
+The warm September day had vanished into a soft, balmy night, garnished
+by a full, silvery moon. The road to Baretti's was light as day and the
+nine girls, clad in delicate-hued summer frocks, added to the pale
+beauty of the night. They were in high spirits, as the incessant murmur
+of their voices, punctuated by frequent ripples of light laughter, amply
+testified.
+
+Entering the quaint, stately restaurant, the Lookouts stopped to pay
+courteous respects to Guiseppe Baretti, the proud proprietor, a small,
+somber-eyed Italian. Their frequent patronage of Baretti's during their
+freshman year had made them very welcome guests. Signor Baretti's solemn
+face became wreathed with smiles as he greeted them.
+
+"It is certainly good to be here again!" exclaimed Jerry. By
+appropriating two extra chairs from a nearby vacant table, the nine
+diners had managed to seat themselves without crowding at one table.
+
+"Isn't it, though?" Vera Mason glanced happily around the circle. "I
+miss Baretti's dreadfully during vacations. There is really no other
+restaurant quite like it."
+
+"We missed it too, this summer. Our main standby in Sanford was
+Sargeant's. You and Leila made its acquaintance when you were in Sanford
+last Easter. We used to go there so often after school. I wonder we ever
+had an appetite for dinner when we went home. Of course it can't be
+compared with Baretti's, as it is merely a confectioner's shop. We had
+happy times there, though," Marjorie concluded.
+
+"It was a regular conspirator's shop," Jerry supplemented. "Whenever we
+had anything special to talk over, the watchword was, 'On to
+Sargeant's.'"
+
+"We settled a great many weighty affairs of state at Sargeant's."
+Muriel smiled reminiscently. "I suppose Baretti's will grow dearer to us
+as we plod along our college way. I like it better than the Colonial,
+which lacks the air this place has. Besides, the Sans monopolize it so
+that I had rather come here."
+
+"Why did the Sans turn from Baretti's to the Colonial?" Lucy asked
+tersely. Her analytic mind had not for an instant lost sight of Vera's
+earlier remark concerning the proprietor. "What happened?"
+
+"Oh, it took a large number of straws to break the camel's back. When it
+broke----"
+
+"Bing!" obligingly supplied Jerry. "I can picture the wrath of an
+outraged Baretti."
+
+"He was wrathful more than once before he said a word. The Sans used to
+be awfully noisy when they dined or lunched here. Guiseppe did not like
+that. They used to reserve tables by telephone, then, when they reached
+here for dinner, they would claim he had not reserved the tables they
+had asked for. That was a trick of Leslie Cairns. She would tell him
+that he ought not charge extra for the tables as he had not complied
+with her order properly. There were all sorts of little points like that
+which the Sans used to argue with him. They used to tease him purposely
+to see him get angry. When he is very angry he says not a word. He
+clenches his hands and his face turns fiery red. His eyes snap and he
+looks as though he would like to turn inside out. He half opens his
+mouth, then turns on his heel and scuttles off.
+
+"One evening in February," Vera continued, "Leila and I came here for
+dinner. One of the sophs had a birthday and she was giving a dinner to
+eighteen of her classmates. Remember, Leila? They had those three tables
+over there." Vera nodded toward the opposite side of the room. "The room
+was quite well filled, when in came Leslie Cairns, Joan Myers and
+Natalie Weyman with three girls who had come from a prep. school to
+spend a week-end with Joan. There wasn't a single table at which they
+all could sit. Instead of calling Guiseppe, Leslie Cairns walked
+straight to the soph who was giving the dinner, and claimed she had
+taken a table which Joan had reserved by telephone. The soph should
+simply have stayed away upon her dignity and called Signor Baretti. She
+was indignant, naturally, and began to argue the matter with Miss
+Cairns. They both grew furious and talked so loudly you could hear them
+all over the room. Natalie Weyman undertook to champion Leslie, and
+Leslie told her to shut her mouth and mind her own affairs. She is _so_
+uncouth when she loses her temper. Honestly, a regular pow-wow went on
+for a few minutes."
+
+Vera stopped her narrative to laugh as she recalled that very stormy
+altercation. Leila was also laughing. Nor could the other listeners fail
+to be amused.
+
+"I can imagine how that poor soph felt to be jumped on so unexpectedly,
+when she was playing the agreeable hostess at her own birthday party."
+Jerry's sympathy for the injured sophomore did not prevent her from
+laughing. The funny side of such tragedies invariably struck Jerry
+first. "How did the pow-wow end?"
+
+"Very likely an enraged Baretti swooped down on them and read them the
+law in broken and indignant English," guessed Ronny, with a glance
+toward the cashier's desk, where the stolid little proprietor sat
+counting the day's receipts.
+
+"Did he?" emphasized Vera. "He crossed the floor as though he had wings
+attached to his shoes. He stopped directly in front of Leslie Cairns. We
+couldn't hear what he said to her. It wasn't more than half a dozen
+sentences. They must have been strictly to the point. She glared at him
+and he glared back. Then she said loudly enough to be heard all over the
+room: 'Come on, girls. Let the dago have his hash house. I hope it burns
+down tonight.' The six of them went out of the restaurant, laughing.
+Guiseppe was wild. He swore they should never be allowed to set foot in
+this place again. They stayed away until after Easter. Gradually they
+drifted back, and he didn't reopen the quarrel. They have been on their
+good behavior here since then."
+
+"Quite a collegiate performance. What?" Leila gave an exact imitation of
+Leslie Cairns' manner of uttering the interrogation. "Take the truth
+from me, our freshie year was full of just such scenes put over by those
+girls."
+
+"The soph who had the fuss with Leslie Cairns is a senior this year. You
+may believe the Sans will get no favors from her and her party crowd.
+The Sans will find out some day that they can't sow tares and expect to
+reap flowers," concluded Vera with some warmth.
+
+"Yes, but it will take them such a very long time to find it out,"
+Muriel said impatiently. "If we don't stand up for the honor of our Alma
+Mater, who will?"
+
+"Well, we've done some good," sturdily asserted Jerry. "We wouldn't
+allow the Sans to rag Katherine. The Beauty contest was an awful damper
+to them, especially Miss Weyman. It put a crimp in her sails. She needed
+to be suppressed. Then came the trouble about basket ball. The Silverton
+House girls deserve most of the credit for that _coup de grace_. It
+certainly brought the freshman class together with a snap. There are
+only about twelve or fifteen of the present sophs who are Sans
+worshippers. Miss Reid won't dare interfere with sports this year."
+
+"A strong blow you freshies struck for fairness in college sports,"
+commended Leila. "They will be properly managed this year."
+
+"Miss Reid is to have only light gymnastics and folk dancing from this
+on," announced Helen. "There is to be a new gym instructor; a young man.
+He is a physical culture expert and an acrobat. He is to teach bar and
+trapeze work."
+
+"You don't mean it!" Leila puckered her lips into a soft whistle. "What
+is to become of Miss Bailey? She is a better teacher of folk dancing
+than Miss Reid. Who told you, Helen?"
+
+"Miss Bailey herself. I came up from town with her the other day in a
+taxi. She seems pleased with the new arrangement. She is to assist both
+Miss Reid and the new instructor. You know she is an athletic wonder for
+a woman. She does very difficult acrobatic work and understands teaching
+balance. That is so difficult to teach."
+
+"Who knows? This may be Miss Reid's last year with us," Leila said with
+a tinge of laughing malice. "It is said a change of that kind for a
+teacher at college generally precedes a violent drop. If true, we must
+try to bear our loss. It takes time to recover from such losses. How we
+do ramble from the subject. Let us be turning back to our freshies'
+good works."
+
+"Muriel stopped at that basket ball affair last winter," prompted
+Katherine. "I'll mention it before Lucy has a chance. She isn't the only
+one who can keep tab on things."
+
+"I see I shall have to keep you in the background." Lucy bent a severe
+eye on Katherine. "You are out to steal my glory."
+
+"Just tell her to subside, a la Leslie Cairns," suggested Helen. "What a
+shame that I missed that lovely party row at Baretti's. I heard echoes
+of it on the campus for a week afterward. Let me tell you, I admire
+Ronny for the way she wound up that tale the Sans started against
+Marjorie last March. It was the best thing that could have been done."
+
+"Something had to be done." Ronny's gray eyes grew flinty. "Those
+particular girls took an unusually bold stand against her. I am
+surprised that they did not attempt to haze her earlier in the year."
+
+"It probably did not occur to them," was Vera's opinion. "If it had,
+they might have tried it. It is strictly forbidden here. The hazers
+would certainly be expelled. President Matthews is down on it with both
+feet. A niece of his was hazed at college and contracted pneumonia. She
+died of it and he has been doubly opposed to it since then."
+
+"I am glad I was saved midnight visits from sheeted ghosts or some such
+eerie horror," laughed Marjorie. "It wouldn't have done them
+any good if ever they had hazed me. I would have refused to do one
+single thing they told me to do. It wouldn't have been a specially
+pleasant experience to waken suddenly and find the room inhabited by
+spooks. Still I wouldn't have been afraid of them. I am glad to be a
+soph. I am past the grind and hazing stage. Do tell the girls about
+Row-ena Farnham, Jeremiah. You promised them you would."
+
+"And so I will," affably consented Jerry. "I think I'll save it for
+dessert, though."
+
+"I think you won't," quickly objected Leila. "Be nice and tell us now.
+Dessert is afar off. The sherbet and the salad stand between it."
+
+Having come to a speedy selection of their dinner, immediately they were
+seated at table, they were now finishing the toothsome old-fashioned
+chicken pot-pie and its palatable accompaniments which was one of
+Baretti's most popular specialties.
+
+"All right children, I will humor you," Jerry made gracious concession,
+as other protesting voices arose. "Understand this is no news to the
+Lookouts here assembled."
+
+"We don't mind hearing it again. We're the pattern of amiability,"
+Muriel made light assurance.
+
+"Charmed, to be sure," beamed Ronny.
+
+"I'll take your word for it." Jerry did not appear specially impressed
+by such overwhelming forbearance. "To begin with, the Macys spend their
+summers at Severn Beach. The Farnhams have a regular castle at
+Tanglewood, a resort about ten miles from Severn Beach. It is needless
+to say that Row-ena and I do not exchange visits. I am happy to say I
+never saw her at Severn Beach. Think what the beach has been spared."
+
+"One afternoon Hal took me to Tanglewood in his sailboat. He went to see
+a couple of his chums about arranging for a yacht race. I didn't care to
+go with him to the cottage. I knew they didn't want me butting in while
+they planned their race. I stayed down on the sands near the boat. Hal
+had promised to be back by four o'clock.
+
+"I watched the bathers for a while. There were only a few in the water
+that day," Jerry continued. "Finally, I thought I would go up to a large
+pavilion at the head of the pier for an ice. I sat in the pavilion
+eating a pineapple ice as peacefully as you please. All of a sudden I
+realized someone had stopped beside my chair; two someones by the way.
+One of them was Row-ena Quarrelena Fightena Scrapena; the other," Jerry
+paused impressively, "was our precious hob-goblin, Miss Cairns."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+GATHERING CLOUDS.
+
+
+"Really!" came in surprised exclamation from Vera.
+
+"Hmm! What a congenial pair!" was Helen Trent's placid reception of the
+information.
+
+"Like walks with like." Leila's tones vibrated with satirical truth.
+"Knaves fall out, but to fall in again."
+
+"I know it," agreed Jerry. "One would naturally suppose that Miss Cairns
+would have no use for Row-ena after the net she led her into. Not a bit
+of it."
+
+"It must have been a shock, Jeremiah, to look up suddenly and find
+yourself in such company." Helen could not repress the ghost of a
+chuckle.
+
+"It was. They were lined up for battle. I saw that at a glance. Row-ena
+was half laughing; a trick of hers when she is all ready to make a grand
+disturbance. Leslie Cairns looked like a Japanese thundercloud. I never
+said a word; just sat very straight in my chair. I went on eating my
+ice as if I didn't know they were there. Like this."
+
+Jerry gave an imitation of her manner and facial expression on the
+occasion she was describing.
+
+"I thought they might give it up as a bad job and go away, but they
+stayed. Then Row-ena started in with a regular tirade about Marjorie and
+all of us. I can't repeat what she said word for word. Anyway, she
+called us all liars. I don't remember what I said, but it must have been
+effective. I certainly handed Row-ena my candid opinion of herself. She
+saw she was getting the worst of the argument and declared she wouldn't
+stay and be so insulted. She started out of the pavilion, calling Miss
+Cairns to come along. The fair Leslie wouldn't budge. She told Row-ena
+to go on, that she had something to say to me. That was the first remark
+she had made. Then she asked me in her slow, drawling way if I would
+listen to something she had to say to me. I said I would not. I had
+heard too much as it was. I got up and beat it and left her standing
+there. I was so sore I forgot to pay for my ice. I had to send Hal back
+with the money. As I started away from the pavilion, I saw Row-ena
+getting into a dizzy-looking black and white roadster. I think the car
+belonged to Miss Cairns. It looked like her. I suppose she and dear
+Row-ena had been out for a ride and simply happened to run across me in
+the pavilion.
+
+"Now comes the most interesting part of the story." Jerry glanced from
+one to another of her attentive little audience. "Three days afterward
+the postman left me a letter. The address was typed, so was the letter.
+When I opened it, I soon knew the writer. Here it is." Jerry produced a
+letter from a white kid bag she was carrying. "The distinguished writer
+of this letter is Leslie Cairns. I brought it along to read to you
+because what she has to say includes all of us. It's what I would call
+an open declaration of war. Listen to this:
+
+     "'Miss Macy:
+
+     "'Since you refused to listen to me the other day, I must resort to
+     pen and ink to make you understand that when I have anything to say
+     to a person I propose to say it. It isn't a case of what you want.
+     It is a case of what I want. To begin with, I knew all about you
+     and your pals before ever you came to Hamilton. My friend, Miss
+     Farnham, heard that you were to enter Hamilton and warned me
+     against all of you. I had you looked up, as I have powerful ways
+     and means of doing this.
+
+     "'As your friend, Miss Dean, the lying little hypocrite, had made
+     my friend, Miss Farnham, so much trouble at high school, I decided
+     to even her score for her. At first I did not intend to allow you
+     to enter Hamilton at all. When I say "you" I include those dear
+     chums of yours. My father could easily have arranged to keep you
+     out of Hamilton. Then I concluded it would be better to let you
+     come here and make things lively for you.
+
+     "'I proposed that call on you ninnies on your first evening at
+     college. We arranged matters so as to fuss you self-satisfied
+     freshies a little and keep you from your dinner. We didn't care
+     anything about meeting you, but we thought we might as well look
+     you over. Miss Weyman gave it out that she would meet your party
+     with her car on purpose to keep other students away. We wanted you
+     to be a little bit lonesome. When you said in your room, that you
+     saw Miss Weyman's car at the station, we thought perhaps you might
+     have seen through the joke. But you were so thick. You didn't.
+
+     "'Miss Weyman had no intention of wasting good gasoline on you. She
+     loaded her car with girls on purpose. There was no room to spare.
+     She stopped it above the station yard and stayed there until after
+     the train had come in. After a while she drove into the yard and
+     out again. Not one of us set foot on the platform. It was a clever
+     bluff and served you precisely right.
+
+     "'I haven't either the patience or the will to tell you all the
+     clever stunts we put over on you simpletons last year. Believe me,
+     when I say, it isn't a circumstance compared to what we intend to
+     do this year. You came back at us in March in a way we will not
+     forget or overlook. You think you are pretty strongly intrenched
+     because you and your crowd are quite pally with certain upper class
+     students who pose as wonders of smartness. Well, don't build too
+     much on your popularity. Popularity sometimes has a habit of
+     vanishing over night.
+
+     "'It seems too bad to be wasting time and paper on you, but I am
+     square enough to let you have the truth straight from the shoulder.
+     You girls have made us trouble from the start, and I predict that
+     it will not be long before Hamilton will be too small to hold your
+     crowd and mine. Your crowd will be the one to go; not the Sans. I
+     am not afraid to tell you this, because there is nothing in this
+     letter that you can get me on.
+
+                                                    "'Leslie Cairns.'"
+
+"That is so like Leslie Cairns." Leila's blue eyes flashed their
+profound contempt. "She loves to boast of her own ill-doing. She thinks
+it gives her a standing among her friends. She poses as being afraid of
+nothing and no one.
+
+"That is truly an outrageous letter!" Vera's voice rang with shocked
+indignation. "I wonder at her boldness in writing it."
+
+"Ah, but consider! It is a typed letter. Would you mind letting me look
+at the signature, Jerry?" Helen requested.
+
+"With pleasure." Jerry willingly surrendered the typed letter to Helen.
+
+The latter studied the signature shrewdly. "I don't think this is Leslie
+Cairns signature," she said, shaking her head. "That is about the way I
+thought it would be."
+
+"Humph!" Leila had evidently caught Helen's meaning. The others looked a
+trifle mystified.
+
+"But Leila just now said the letter sounded like Leslie Cairns!" Jerry
+exclaimed. "She wrote it. I am sure of that. Her name is signed to it.
+Why then----" Jerry stopped. "Oh, yes," she went on, in sudden
+enlightenment. "I begin to understand."
+
+"Of course you do," returned Helen. "In the first place," she explained
+to her puzzled listeners, "this letter has neither date nor place of
+writing. It is typed and signed 'Leslie Cairns,' but I am almost
+positive she did not sign it. She has either disguised her hand or
+another person has signed her name to it at her request, you may be
+sure. Object--if Jerry decided to make her any trouble at Hamilton over
+the letter, she would say she had nothing whatever to do with the
+writing of it."
+
+"It would take a whole lot of nerve to do that. After what happened last
+year, she could hardly hope to be believed." This was Muriel's view of
+the matter.
+
+"Still, if the letter were typed and not signed by her, there would be
+no proof that she wrote it unless someone had seen her write it." Helen
+argued. "We are positive she wrote it, because the contents of the
+letter tally with the Sans' attitude and actions toward Marjorie and you
+Sandfordites. Yet, what would hinder her from saying that some friend of
+yours, to whom you had told your troubles, or, that even one of you five
+girls wrote that letter, simply for spite? I do not say that she would
+do so. I only say she might. She is capable of it."
+
+"I agree with you, Helen. Leslie Cairns would stand before President
+Matthews and declare up and down that she never dreamed of writing such
+a letter, if it pleased her to do it." Leila spoke with conviction. "She
+took chances, of course, of being called to account for the statements
+she made in the letter. Undoubtedly, she had her whole course of action
+planned out before ever she wrote it. While she couldn't be sure you
+wouldn't make a fuss about it, because of the way Ronny brought the Sans
+to book last March, she could plan the best way to brazen it out if she
+got into difficulties over it.
+
+"Just imagine! She had a grudge against the Lookouts before ever she met
+them. Leila and I were always suspicious of the way Natalie Weyman
+acted about meeting you at the station. We could not fathom the object
+of such a performance. We both thought there was more to it than
+appeared on the surface." Vera nodded wisely.
+
+"And all on account of the maliciousness of Row-ena Farnham. Why, none
+of us had seen her for over two years! We supposed she belonged to our
+departed high school days." Muriel's tones betrayed decided umbrage.
+
+"You can make up your minds that I don't intend ever to serve on any
+reform committees--object, the betterment of the heathen; the Sans, I
+mean." Jerry made this announcement with a shade of belligerence.
+Unconsciously she turned her eyes toward Marjorie.
+
+Marjorie laughed. "I know what you are thinking, Jeremiah," she said,
+with quiet amazement. "Don't worry. I shall not suggest a reform
+movement here for the Sans' moral benefit."
+
+"Glad of it. Imagine me laboring patiently with that benighted heathen,
+Leslie Cairns, to help her to see herself as others see her," grumbled
+Jerry.
+
+"How much the Sans would enjoy being called the heathen," interposed
+Katherine Langly.
+
+"It's appropriate. When people behave like savages, they class
+themselves as such. It is a pity that we should be obliged to consider
+fellow students as enemies!" Jerry continued with vehemence. "Why
+should petty spite be carried to the point where it is a menace to the
+whole college? An institution for the higher education of young girls in
+particular should be free of such ignobility."
+
+"Fights and fusses are not conducive to the cultivation of a scholarly
+mind," Helen Trent agreed with mock solemnity.
+
+"They are not," returned Leila, with a strong Celtic inflection of which
+she, in her earnestness, was entirely unconscious.
+
+Naturally it evoked laughter. Leila's occasional slight lapses into a
+brogue were invariably amusing to her chums.
+
+"Laugh at my brogue if you wish, I will not break your bones," she said
+good-humoredly, making use of an ancient Irish expression. "I am most
+Celtic when serious. Ah, well! Perhaps it is petty in us even to be
+discussing the Sans, since we can say nothing good of them."
+
+"That is their fault; not ours," Lucy Warner said incisively.
+
+"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in their stars, but in themselves,
+that they are underlings," Vera aptly applied with a change of pronouns.
+
+"Quite right, my child. They began it. Not one of us, before the
+Lookouts came here to Hamilton, raised a voice against the Sans. We know
+the Lookouts did not. This letter Leslie Cairns wrote to Jerry means
+war to the knife, all this year. Unless, by good fortune, Miss Remson
+has won her point and they are not to come back to the Hall. With them
+out of Wayland Hall we might hope for peace. Put them in other campus
+houses, they would soon lose track of you girls and turn their bad
+attentions to or on someone else. Miss Remson has a strong case against
+them on account of the way they treated Marjorie." Such was Helen's
+opinion.
+
+Marjorie flushed at mention of the Sans' bad treatment of herself. She
+glanced at Ronny, who returned the glance with an enigmatical smile.
+Leila was staring at Marjorie, her face also a study.
+
+"Girls," Marjorie began, in her clear resonant enunciation, "I shall
+have to tell you something that only Ronny and Leila know. I told Leila
+only this afternoon. I asked Miss Remson not to mention the Sans'
+treatment of me in her complaint to the president. I had a long talk
+with her last June before college closed. I asked Ronny if she cared if
+I did so, because she had gone to the trouble of getting Miss Archer
+here and spared no pains to help me. All of you helped me, too, but
+Ronny and Miss Remson did the hardest part. Ronny said I must do
+whatever my conscience dictated. I felt that I did not wish to have
+anything to do with their leaving the Hall. If Miss Remson wins or has
+won her point against them, that's different. Last March, before we held
+the meeting in the living room, it seemed as if I could not endure being
+under the same roof with them. That feeling passed away. They were so
+utterly defeated. Miss Remson says she has enough insubordinate and
+really lawless acts on their part against them to warrant their being
+transferred to another campus house. She said it had been done
+occasionally in past years with beneficial results."
+
+"That means the Sans will be at the Hall again this year." Resentment
+burned briefly in Helen's eyes. Slow to anger, she was slower to
+forgive.
+
+"We don't know that yet," resumed Ronny. "All this happened last June.
+Miss Remson made her complaint then, I believe. She intended to, at any
+rate. Naturally, we could not ask her about the result, and she said
+nothing more about it before we went home. I think she will mention it
+to Marjorie and me. If she does we will ask if we may tell you girls who
+were interested in the affair of last March."
+
+"We'll know anyway, if the Sans appear bag and baggage," put in
+practical Lucy.
+
+"Yes; but I mean Miss Remson will tell us the details," returned Ronny.
+
+"Wherever the Sans live on the campus, our best way is to go on about
+our own affairs regardless of them. I hate to think of Hamilton College
+as a battle ground. I will fight for my rights, if I must, but I will
+ignore a worthless enemy as long as I can. We must make our plans for a
+happier Hamilton, which does not include the Sans. We must create a
+spirit of unity here that will discount cliques." Marjorie argued with
+deep earnestness. "If we fight, shoulder to shoulder, for the best, in
+time we shall attain it. It's our influence that will count. It may not
+be felt at once; gradually it will be. We need not expect the Sans will
+change their views. We must put them in the background by being true and
+kindly and honorable. Then their false standards will count for
+nothing."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+AN INVITATION TO AN "OFFICE PARTY."
+
+
+"I'm very, very sleepy, Jeremiah, but I shall try to keep awake for the
+chimes. It would be unkind not to greet my second friend tonight."
+Marjorie made these whimsical statements between yawns.
+
+"Wait for 'em, then, if you can," returned Jerry. "The minute my head
+touches the pillow I shall be dead to the world. You'll never keep
+awake. You are yawning now."
+
+"I shall," firmly avowed Marjorie. Tired out by the long railway
+journey, her eyes would close. Nevertheless she slipped into a silk
+negligee and curled up on the floor beside a window, to wait for the
+welcoming voice of her loved friend. The light in the room extinguished,
+the white moonlight touched her sweet face, lending it a new and wistful
+beauty. From her post at the window she could see Hamilton Hall, a
+magnificent gray pile in the moonbeams. The campus stretched away on all
+sides of it like an enchanted emerald carpet full of lights and
+shadows.
+
+Marjorie momentarily forgot her desire for sleep as she looked on the
+silent loveliness which night had enhanced. It filled her with all sorts
+of vague inspirations which she could sense but not analyze. She could
+only understand herself as being earnestly desirous of showing greater
+loyalty to her Alma Mater than ever before.
+
+Then upon her inspirited musings fell the voice of her old, familiar
+friend, clear and silvery as ever. She sat very still, almost
+breathlessly, listening to the clarion, welcoming prelude. Followed the
+measured stroke of eleven. "I am so happy to hear you again, dear
+friend. Good night." Marjorie rose, and, with a last, sleepy, but
+loving, glance at the fairylike outdoors trotted to her couch bed. She
+had scarcely found its grateful comfort before she was fast asleep.
+
+She awoke the next morning with the sunshine pouring in upon her to find
+Jerry, kimono-clad, standing meditatively beside her couch.
+
+"Why--um--what--where----" she mumbled. "Oh, goodness, Jerry! have I
+overslept? What time is it? That wall clock stopped last night just
+after we came in, and I forgot to wind it and set it again." She sat up
+hastily.
+
+"Be calm," replied Jerry, with a reassuring grin. "It is only five
+minutes to seven. I was wondering whether I could let you sleep fifteen
+minutes more. I'd decided to call you when you woke of your own
+accord."
+
+"I'd rather be up." Marjorie arose with her customary energy and reached
+for her negligee. "I have a lot to do today. Our trunks will be here by
+noon, I hope. I want to unpack and be all straightened out before the
+five o'clock train. Leila and Vera are anxious for us to go with them to
+meet it. We ought to meet it at any rate. We are both on the sophomore
+committee for welcoming freshies."
+
+Marjorie made this reminder with open satisfaction. During Commencement
+week, the previous June, the sophomore class elect had gathered for a
+special meeting. Its object had been to discuss ways and means of
+helping entering freshmen at the re-opening of college in the fall.
+Marjorie and Jerry had been appointed to it as Wayland Hall
+representatives, together with two students from Acasia House and three
+from Silverton Hall.
+
+"I imagine we are the only ones on that committee who have come back to
+Hamilton," Marjorie continued. "Oh, no; Ethel Laird is on it. Let me
+see. Grace Dearborn was the other Acasia House girl appointed. Blanche
+Scott, Elaine Hunter and Miss Peyton were the three from Silverton Hall.
+Ronny said none of them had returned."
+
+"I am almost sorry I did not make arrangements to have a car here this
+year." Jerry looked slightly regretful. "It would come in handy now.
+Still, I believe it is more democratic to do without one. Besides, I
+ought to walk rather than ride. It keeps my weight down. There is Ronny.
+She could have a dozen cars here if she wanted them. She won't have one.
+She is a real democrat, isn't she?"
+
+Marjorie nodded. "She is the most unassuming very rich girl I have ever
+known. I think if the Sans really knew her circumstances they would try
+to take her up, even after what happened last spring."
+
+"They would give it up as too hard a job about five minutes after Ronny
+found out what they were trying to do," predicted Jerry. "I have an idea
+that the Sans think we don't amount to much financially. My father is
+worth a whole lot of money, yet it's not generally known in Sanford. He
+never tried to keep it a secret, but you see we have never gone in for
+anything but the quiet family life. So people don't think much about us,
+except that we are old Sanford residents."
+
+"That is a fine way to live," thoughtfully approved Marjorie. "Well, I
+couldn't afford to have a car here if I wanted one ever so much. The
+majority of the girls at Hamilton are probably from families in about
+the same circumstances as the Deans. Leila said yesterday that about a
+third of the girls here last year had their own automobiles. She said
+she would have been terribly lonely during her freshman year if she had
+not had her car. She didn't send for it for quite awhile after she
+entered college. Vera sent for hers, too, and hardly drove it. Most of
+the freshmen they were friendly with had their own cars, so they seldom
+needed to drive both cars at the same time."
+
+As she talked, Marjorie had been leisurely but steadily gathering up her
+toilet accessories preparatory to making her morning ablutions. Jerry,
+who stood idly watching her chum, suddenly realized that time was on the
+wing.
+
+"Good gracious!" she exclaimed. "Here I stand like a dummy when I ought
+to be hiking for the lavatory myself. We'll both be late for breakfast,
+in spite of my early rising, if we stop to talk any longer. After
+breakfast we had better 'phone the baggage master about our trunks.
+Otherwise they may forget all about us and not deliver them before
+tomorrow. I haven't the trusting faith in baggage masters that I might
+have."
+
+In the lavatory they encountered Muriel and Ronny. Lucy had already
+preceded them and gone to pay Katherine a morning call. Presently the
+Five Travelers and Katherine trooped down the wide stairway to
+breakfast, their bright, youthful faces and clear, laughing tones
+lending new life to staid Wayland Hall. At the foot of the stairway
+they met Miss Remson and hailed her with a concerted "Good morning."
+
+Her small, shrewd eyes softened, as she received the gay salute with a
+smile and returned it. Her liking for this particular sextette of
+students was very sincere.
+
+"Girls," she began abruptly, her smile fading, to be replaced by an
+expression of sternness, "Will you come into my office after breakfast?
+I have something to show you and also something to tell you." Her lips
+tightened to grimness as she made this announcement. "That's all." With
+a little nod she passed them and hurried on up the staircase.
+
+As she had been busily engaged with the affairs of the Hall on their
+arrival of the preceding afternoon, they had had opportunity only to
+greet her and be assigned to their old rooms and places at table.
+
+Entering the dining room, Vera and Leila called "Good morning" from the
+next table to their own.
+
+"Be with you in a minute," Leila informed them. "I've something to
+report, Lieutenant." This directly to Marjorie. During the Easter visit
+she and Vera had made Marjorie, she had taken delightedly to the army
+idea as carried out by the Deans. Afterward she frequently addressed
+Marjorie as "Lieutenant."
+
+"I know what it is," promptly returned Jerry. "So have we. We just saw
+Miss Remson. Is that what you are driving at?"
+
+"It is. Now what shall I do to you for snapping my news from my mouth?"
+Leila asked severely.
+
+"Maybe I don't know as much as you do, so you needn't feel grieved,"
+conciliated Jerry. "Come over here and we will compare notes. I may know
+something you don't know. You may know something I don't know. Think
+what a wonderful information session we shall have."
+
+Hurriedly finishing her coffee, Leila rose and joined the Lookouts. "I
+won't sit down," she declined, as Ronny motioned her to draw up a nearby
+chair. "Miss Remson asked Vera and I to stop at her office after
+breakfast."
+
+"She asked us, too. There, I took Jerry's news away from her. That pays
+up for what she did to you." Muriel glanced teasingly at Jerry.
+
+"Oh, go as far as you like." Jerry waved an elaborately careless hand.
+"Like the race in Alice in Wonderland: 'All won.' Perhaps one of you
+wise women of Hamilton can tell us if anyone else is invited to Busy
+Buzzy's office party."
+
+"Silence was the answer," put in Marjorie mischievously, as no one
+essayed a reply to Jerry's satirical question.
+
+"Helen ought to be," Jerry said stoutly. "She was with us to the letter
+last spring. I guess she'll be there. Miss Remson is fond of her."
+
+One and all the eight girls were experiencing inward satisfaction at the
+summons to Miss Remson's office. Confident that it had to do with the
+readmittance or denial of the Sans to Wayland Hall, they were glad that
+the odd little manager had chosen to give them her confidence.
+
+"I'm going over to the garage to see if the new tire is on my car. It
+blew out yesterday while I was driving it to cover after I left you
+girls. I'll be back by the time you girls have finished breakfast. Going
+with me, Midget?" Leila turned to Vera.
+
+"No, Ireland," she declined, with the little rippling smile which was
+one of her chief charms. "I am still hungry. I want another cup of
+coffee and a nice fat cinnamon bun. By the time I put them away you will
+be back."
+
+As Leila went out, Helen Trent appeared, a slightly sleepy look in her
+blue eyes. Her arrival was greeted with acclamation. Aside from Vera and
+Leila, the long pleasant dining room was empty of students when the
+Lookouts and Katherine had entered it. In consequence, they were more
+free to laugh and talk. The presence of the Sans in the room during
+meals quenched the spirit of comradarie that was so marked at Silverton
+Hall.
+
+"Have you seen Miss Remson?" was hurled at Helen in chorus. She dimpled
+engagingly and nodded her head.
+
+"I saw her last night after I left you girls. I had to have a new bulb
+for one of my lights."
+
+"Glad of it." Jerry beamed at Helen. She had not wished her junior
+friend left out of Miss Remson's confidence. "If she had not told you, I
+was going to ask her if you might be in on it," she assured.
+
+"Faithful old Jeremiah." Helen reached over from where she had paused
+beside the Lookouts' table and patted Jerry on the shoulder.
+
+"One might think you were addressing a valued family watch dog,"
+remarked Lucy Warner. Helen's dimples deepened. "You don't say much,
+Luciferous, but what you say is _amazin'_. I hadn't the slightest
+intention of ranking my respected pardner, Jeremiah, as an animal
+friend. With this apologetic explanation, I shall insist that you drop
+all such thoughts."
+
+"Oh, I did not say I thought so," calmly corrected Lucy. "I merely said,
+'One might think.'" Lucy's features were purposely austere. Her greenish
+eyes were dancing. Long since her chums had discovered that her sense
+of humor was as keen as her sense of criticism.
+
+Leila presently returned to find the breakfasters feasting on hot,
+old-fashioned cinnamon buns. These buns were a specialty at Wayland
+Hall, and, with coffee, were a tempting meal in themselves. Another ten
+minutes, and they left the dining-room en masse, bound for the little
+manager's office, there to learn what they might or might not expect
+from the Sans during the coming college year.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+LETTER NUMBER TWO.
+
+
+"Come in!" called a brisk, familiar voice, as Ronny knocked lightly on
+the almost closed door. Filing decorously into the rather small office,
+the nine girls grouped themselves about the manager's chair.
+
+"Take seats, friends," she invited. "Four of you can use the settee.
+There are chairs enough for the others. Will you see that the door is
+tightly closed, Helen. This matter is strictly confidential. It's rather
+early for eavesdroppers," she added, with biting sarcasm.
+
+"The door is closed, Miss Remson." Having complied with the manager's
+request, Helen seated herself beside Jerry on a wide walnut bench which
+took up almost a side of the room.
+
+"Thank you. You know, my dear young friends," Miss Remson began, with
+out further preliminary, "that, last March, after Miss Dean's trouble
+with the Sans Soucians, I expressed myself as being heartily sick of
+their lawless behavior. I stated then that I should take up the matter
+with President Matthews. I believed he would respect my point of view. I
+had made up my mind that I did not wish them to return to the Hall this
+year. Wayland Hall is the oldest and finest house on the campus.
+Naturally, it is hard to obtain board here. I have been here longer than
+any other manager of any other Hamilton campus house. I have rarely made
+complaint against a student. Miss Dean was anxious that I should not put
+her case before President Matthews. I could only respect her wishes, as
+the matter was strictly personal. There were many other reasons why the
+Sans Soucians, as they call themselves, were undesirable boarders."
+
+Miss Remson ceased speaking momentarily, as she separated a letter from
+two or three others on her desk.
+
+"These girls, of whom I disapproved, made the usual application to
+retain their rooms. I made a list of the undesirables and went over to
+the president's house to have a confidential talk with him. I have known
+him and his family for years. Unfortunately, he was not at home. He had
+been invited to make an address at the Commencement of Newbold, a
+western college for women, and would be away for a week. As his return
+would be so near Commencement here, I decided to write him and ask for an
+early appointment. I wrote to him as soon as he returned. He answered
+my note personally and made an appointment with me.
+
+"I laid my complaint before him," she continued, "and he was indignant
+at the way I had been treated. He asked me to leave with him the names
+of the young women against whom I had made complaint. He promised they
+should be reprimanded by him and notified to make other arrangements for
+this college year. Further, they would also be warned that any new
+complaints against them from another manager would mean a second summons
+to his office, with a more severe penalty attached.
+
+"I waited, expecting a storm when these girls received their
+notification and learned what I had done. I had not given them an answer
+regarding their rooms for next year, as I was waiting for Doctor
+Matthews to act. Judge my surprise when, five days after I had talked
+with the doctor, I received a cool note, dictated to his secretary,
+stating that he was inclosing a typed copy of a letter which he had
+received. He went on to say that, as there seemed to be as much
+complaint against me, by the young women of whom I had complained, he
+would suggest that we get together and try to adjust the matter at the
+Hall. He believed that the course I had requested him to pursue would
+result in such useless ill-feeling that he preferred not to adopt it.
+He had no doubt that an internal friction, such as appeared to exist at
+Wayland Hall, could be easily adjusted by me, if I adopted the proper
+methods. He wished the subject closed."
+
+"Why, that isn't a bit like Doctor Matthews!" exclaimed Helen. "He has
+the reputation of being a stickler for justice."
+
+"My dear, I know it," replied Miss Remson, in a hurt voice. "I felt
+utterly crushed after I had read his note. There was nothing more to be
+done unless I resigned. I did not wish to do so. I have every right to
+retain my position here. It is my living and I do a great deal for my
+sister's two sons, whom I am helping put through college. The copy of
+the letter, inclosed with the president's note, was written by Miss
+Myers. I shall read it to you verbatim."
+
+Unfolding the copied letter which she held in her hand, she hastily read
+the formal heading then went on more slowly:
+
+    "Dear Doctor Matthews:
+
+    "It has been intimated us that we are not to be granted the
+    privilege of remaining at Wayland Hall during our junior year.
+    We understand the reason for this injustice and wish you to
+    understand it also.  Miss Remson, the manager of the Hall, has
+    taken sides with a certain few students in the house who have a
+    fancied grudge against a number of young women whose interests I
+    am now representing.  Miss Remson has allowed these students to
+    place us in the most humiliating of positions; has even aided
+    and abetted them in putting us in a false light.  She has also
+    reprimanded us frequently for offenses of which we are not
+    guilty.  We are willing to overlook all this and try even more
+    earnestly in future to please Miss Remson.  This, in spite of
+    the harsh way in which we have been treated by all concerned.
+    We are not willing to leave the Hall.  We came here to live as
+    freshmen and we object to being thrust from it after two years'
+    residence in it.  We have been given to understand that
+    complaint against us is to be lodged with you by Miss Remson.
+    Will you not take up the matter summarily with her and see that
+    we obtain justice?
+
+                                                "Yours sincerely,
+                                                        "Joan Myers."
+
+A united gasp arose as Miss Remson finished the reading of Joan Myers'
+letter and laid it on the desk.
+
+"Can you beat that?" inquired Jerry, in such deep disgust everyone
+laughed. "Of all the cast-iron, nickle-plated nerve, commend me to the
+Sans."
+
+"Outrageous!" Leila's black brows were drawn in a deep scowl. "And they
+are clever, too," she nodded with conviction. "That letter is the kind
+a man of Doctor Matthews' standing detests. It gives the whole affair
+the air of a school-girl quarrel. Very hard on your dignity, Miss
+Remson," she glanced sympathetically at the little manager.
+
+"Not only that. I am practically cut off from my old friendly standing
+with the president." Miss Remson's usually quick tones faltered
+slightly. "I would not appeal to him for justice again if these lawless
+girls brought the Hall down about my ears. You can understand my
+position."
+
+She appealed to her youthful hearers In general. "It was my belief that
+you should be told this by me, as I had assured you last spring that I
+would not have these trouble-making, untruthful students at the Hall
+this year, if I could help it. They are coming back wholly against my
+will. We were into Commencement week last June when this occurred, so I
+said nothing to any of you. It would have been an annoyance to you
+during the summer every time you happened to recall it."
+
+"Who told the Sans that you weren't going to allow them to come back to
+the Hall?" was Marjorie's pertinent question. "I can answer for every
+one of us in saying that we never repeated a word outside of our own
+intimate circle."
+
+"That is a question I have pondered more than once during the summer,"
+Miss Remson responded with alacrity. "I did not suspect one of you for
+an instant. I do not see how anyone could have overheard the remarks I
+made on the subject, as I made them in this office with the door always
+closed. President Matthews is, of course, above suspicion. His secretary
+would not dare repeat his official business, even to an intimate friend.
+I mailed my letter to the president. It went through the postoffice.
+This precludes the possibility of it having been tampered with."
+
+"Perhaps the Sans guessed that you would refuse them admittance to the
+Hall this year because you called the meeting in the living room," was
+Muriel's plausible surmise. "You had had a good deal of trouble with
+them and they knew they were in the wrong; that you disapproved of them.
+They may have scented disaster and taken the bull by the horns. They
+calculated, perhaps, that you might appeal to President Matthews and
+thought they would secure themselves by reporting us and accusing you of
+favoritism."
+
+"That would be typical of the Sans," agreed Leila energetically. "Not so
+much Leslie Cairns. She bribes and bullies her way to whatever she
+wants. Joan Myers wrote the letter. She is considered very clever among
+her crowd. She may have made the plan. Dulcie Vale is too stupid and Nat
+Weyman is wrapped up in herself."
+
+"A clever letter, contemptible though it is," pronounced Veronica. "The
+writer has put a certain amount of force in it which passes for
+sincerity."
+
+"It reads as though she had been informed that Miss Remson was going to
+turn the Sans down and was honestly sore over it." Jerry added her
+speculation to Ronny's.
+
+"It is too bad!" exclaimed Helen Trent, indignantly. "I mean for you,
+Miss Remson. You can soon find out for yourself whether they simply
+guessed you were down on them or really had information. When the Sans
+come back to the Hall, if they are snippy and insolent from the start,
+that will mean, I think, that they had warning of it. If they are rather
+subdued and fairly civil, for them, then they only made a daring bluff
+and are not sure, up to date, whether their suspicion was correct."
+
+"Great head!" laughingly complimented Jerry. "There is nothing the mater
+with Helen's reasoning powers."
+
+Miss Remson nodded slowly as she considered Helen's words. "That is very
+likely the way it will be," she said. "The matter will have to remain
+closed, because President Matthews wishes it to be so. I shall not adopt
+his suggestion of a personal talk with these girls." A glint of
+belligerence appeared in her eyes. "I have been here at the Hall many
+years and seen many young women come and go. I am not a bad judge of
+girl character and motive. It will not take me long to fathom these
+girls' deceit in this affair, if the letter Miss Myers wrote was based
+on supposition. If, in some unprecedented manner, they really received
+information, then they must have learned the outcome of the affair from
+the same source. All I can do is to remain mute on the subject. They
+will, undoubtedly, ridicule me behind my back. If they attempt to
+belittle me to my face, I shall resign my position here." The humiliated
+little manager's lips compressed into a tight line.
+
+"I think the whole business is shameful; simply shameful!" burst forth
+Vera, her blue eyes flashing. "Imagine President Matthews taking such an
+extremely unjust stand!"
+
+"It is too bad you cannot go to him and have the matter out with him.
+No; I understand that you wouldn't, under the circumstances," Jerry
+added quickly, as Miss Remson made a hasty gesture of dissent. "I
+wouldn't either, if I were you."
+
+"I believe there is more to this than appears on the surface," Marjorie
+gave steady opinion. "We hardly know President Matthews, as we were
+merely freshies last year. Still he seems to be such a fine man. A man
+in his position ought to be above anything even touching on injustice."
+
+"There you are! 'Seems to be,' and 'ought to be,'" repeated Leila
+cynically. "May I ask you, Miss Remson, do you know the signature to the
+president's letter to you to be by his own hand? I would not hesitate to
+set a trumped-up letter down to the Sans' mischief-making bureau."
+
+"Yes; it is President Matthews' signature; unmistakably his," answered
+Miss Remson. "I am satisfied Doctor Matthews wrote the letter. It is
+written much as he would write if he were thoroughly annoyed. Neither
+Miss Myers nor her friends could write it. You spoke of there being more
+to this than appears on the surface, Miss Dean. Pardon me for
+disagreeing. I hardly think so."
+
+Marjorie never forgot the hurt look that crept into the manager's
+usually cheerful face as she bravely disagreed. It was as though she had
+caught a glimpse of the plucky little woman's grieving soul. She
+realized that Miss Remson had found it hard to give even them her
+confidence. She guessed also that the manager would be grateful if left
+to herself.
+
+"I know what it means to feel dreadfully hurt over something untrue that
+has been said of one, Miss Remson," she consoled in her sincere,
+gracious fashion. "That's the way it was with me last March. Thanks to
+my friends, the clouds blew away and the sun came out again. We are your
+true friends, and we would like to do as much for you as we know you
+have done for me, and would do for any of us who needed your support. We
+solemnly promise," she went on, turning to her chums for corroboration,
+"to regard your confidence as binding. Not one of us will forget the
+hurt that has been dealt you. We shall do our best to make it easier for
+you at the Hall by keeping clear of the Sans."
+
+"Miss Remson, I feel positive that Doctor Matthews will realize, later,
+what a serious mistake he has made. Sometimes the very finest men make
+just such blunders because they are irritated by something else
+entirely." Katherine spoke with deep conviction. "I acted as secretary
+one summer to a naturalist who was of that type."
+
+"There is one thing I intend to do." Lucy Warner spoke for the first
+time since entering the office. She had listened with the gravity and
+attention of a judge to all that had been said. "I shall make it a point
+to see what President Matthews' secretary looks like. A secretary has a
+good deal of opportunity to make trouble, if she chooses to make it. She
+knows so much of her employer's private affairs. I've been a secretary
+long enough to tell you that. She might have quietly told the Sans of
+Miss Remson's letter to the president, asking for an interview."
+
+"But, my dear child, I did not mention the object of my interview in my
+note to President Matthews," declared the manager. "The secretary would
+have nothing to tell these girls of any moment. She would naturally
+attach no importance to such a letter."
+
+"That is true." Lucy looked abashed for an instant. Her old shyness
+seemed about to settle down on her. She cast it off and sat up very
+straight, her green eyes gleaming with her initial purpose. "I believe I
+will look her up, at any rate. She might be a friend of the Sans."
+
+"Hardly," differed Muriel. "The Sans don't make a friend of a girl under
+the million mark, Lucy."
+
+"Unless it happens to suit their purpose," flatly contradicted Lucy,
+with no intent to be rude. "They are the very persons who would pretend
+friendship with a poor girl if they thought she would be useful to them.
+There are girls who would feel highly flattered to be taken up by them.
+I can't pass opinion upon this secretary until I have seen her. Perhaps
+not until I have seen her a number of times."
+
+"Luciferous Warniferous, the world's great private investigator."
+Despite the seriousness of the occasion, Muriel could not refrain from
+venturing this pleasantry.
+
+"You needn't make fun of me." Lucy laughed with the others. "It won't
+do any harm, at least, to view her from afar."
+
+"I thank you all for your interest in me and for your promise." Miss
+Remson surveyed the group of youthful sympathizers through a slight
+mist. "Don't keep this in mind, girls," she counseled. "It is better
+forgotten. I shall try to get along with this disagreeable flock of
+students with the least possible friction. If they take advantage of
+this victory, which they have gained unfairly, and attempt to override
+my authority at the Hall, I shall resign at once."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE GENUS "FRESHMAN."
+
+
+Leaving the manager's office, soon afterward, the nine girls would have
+liked nothing better than to repair to one of their rooms and discuss
+the subject of Miss Remson's grievances at length. All had the liveliest
+sympathy for the kindly official and longed to do something to prove it.
+Unfortunately, nearly all of them had work to do or engagements to keep.
+The Sanford contingent had their trunks to unpack as soon as they should
+arrive. They hoped that would be very soon. Katherine had made an
+engagement with Lillian Wenderblatt to go for a long walk. Leila and
+Vera were going to drive to the town of Hamilton to buy the where-withal
+for a spread to be given that evening in honor of Nella and Selma, who
+were expected on the five o'clock train. Helen being the only one with
+time on her hands, Leila advised her to join them on their quest for the
+most toothsome "eats."
+
+Contrary to Jerry's wet-blanket and extravagant prediction that the
+trunks would probably be delivered "around midnight," they arrived
+shortly before eleven o'clock, and an industrious season of unpacking
+set in. Determined to finish arranging their effects before four
+o'clock, they labored at the task with commendable energy and speed,
+stopping only for luncheon, which was eaten in some haste.
+
+"We certainly have hustled," Jerry congratulated, as she lifted the last
+remaining articles from the bottom of one of her two trunks and found
+place for them in her chiffonier. "I'm glad the job is done. We shall
+have lots of time to take it easy. Here it is, only Wednesday. College
+doesn't open officially until next Tuesday. We have nearly a week to
+ourselves."
+
+"We'll begin today to look after the freshies," planned Marjorie. "Then
+we must meet one train a day, if not two, until we are not needed any
+longer. I shall stick rigidly to that work on account of the welcome we
+were cheated of last September."
+
+"What are you going to wear to the train this afternoon?" Jerry
+inquired, critically inspecting two or three frocks she had laid out on
+her couch bed. She was uncertain which one to wear.
+
+"That one." Marjorie nodded toward a chair over which hung a one-piece
+frock of fine white linen. "I think white looks nicest when one is
+going to the station. I love to wear my white dresses as late in the
+fall as I can."
+
+"Then I'll wear white, too." Jerry immediately selected a pretty
+lingerie gown and sighed relief to have that matter off her mind. "I am
+going the rounds and tell the gang to wear white, by order of the Board
+of Suitable Suits for Auspicious Occasions. Back in a minute."
+
+Glancing at the clock, which showed ten minutes past four, Marjorie
+hurriedly slipped out of the pink gingham dress she had been wearing and
+took the white linen frock from the chair. She had been making leisurely
+preparations for the trip to the station while Jerry finished unpacking.
+
+"I can plainly see my finish." Jerry presently entered the room with a
+bounce, seized a towel from the washstand and bounced out again. She
+returned as breezily within a few minutes and continued her toilet at
+the same rate of speed. Leila had said: "Not one minute later than
+four-thirty," and Jerry did not propose to be left behind.
+
+"Are the rest of the crowd going to wear white?" Marjorie asked, giving
+her wealth of curly hair a final touch before the mirror.
+
+"Yes; but it's just a happen-so. Most of them were dressed for the
+auspicious occasion when I arrived on the scene. Their suits were
+suitable, so I beat it back here in a hurry. Please tie my sash for me,
+Marjorie, while I labor some more with my aggravating hair. I swear I
+will have it cropped like Robin Page's."
+
+"She'll have hers done up when she comes back," commented Marjorie,
+deftly complying with Jerry's request. "It was almost long enough to do
+up last June and she was proud of it."
+
+"I hope Robin comes in on the five o'clock train. I'd like to see her.
+Next to Helen, I like her best of the Hamiltonites."
+
+The entrance of Ronny, also in white linen, with the information that
+Muriel and Lucy had gone on down stairs to the veranda, cut short
+Jerry's remarks. The three girls reached the veranda at precisely
+four-thirty, to find Leila's and Vera's cars on the drive in readiness
+to start.
+
+Through the glory of late afternoon sunlight the two cars, each with its
+winsome freight of white-gowned girls, sped down the smooth pike past
+beautiful Hamilton Estates and on toward the station. Happy in the fact
+that she was now so perfectly at home at Hamilton, Marjorie smiled as
+she compared last year with the present. Yes; it was good to be a
+sophomore. Her new estate stretched invitingly before her. It was all so
+very different from the previous September. The splendor of the sunlit
+sky and the warm fragrance of the light breeze seemed indicative of
+pleasant days to come. Because she had missed a welcome on her arrival
+at Hamilton, she was ready to welcome doubly some other freshman
+stranger within Hamilton's gates.
+
+"Train 16, late, 40 minutes," was the dampening information which stared
+them in the face from the station bulletin board.
+
+"Forty minutes! Who cares to eat ice cream? Back into the buzz wagons,
+all of you. I like the taste of ice cream in my mouth better than the
+feel of those station boards under my feet for a long stretch of forty
+minutes. We can go to the Ivy, that little white shop on Linden Avenue.
+It is only two blocks from the station. We shall have time and to
+spare."
+
+Leila called the latter part of her remarks over her shoulder.
+Immediately she had read the notice she turned and started for the
+station yard. Her companions followed her with alacrity. They were no
+more in favor than she of a tedious wait on the platform for a belated
+train.
+
+"One of us had better call time," wisely suggested Helen, as they
+flocked into the pretty white and green tea room. "Otherwise we are
+likely to overstay our limit. We must be out of here ten minutes before
+the train is due. You had better, Luciferous. You are infallible."
+
+"Much obliged." A faint pink crept into Lucy's fair pale skin. Lucy was
+secretly proud of her own reliability. Turning her pretty gold wrist
+watch on her wrist so that she could see the face of it, she watched it
+with an eager eye from then on. The watch had been a gift to her from
+Ronny the previous Christmas, and was her most valued possession.
+
+Fortune favored them with prompt service on the part of a waitress. They
+had only comfortably finished their ice cream, however, when Lucy
+announced that it was time to go. Returning to the station platform,
+they found only a sprinkling of students awaiting the coming train.
+
+"What has become of Ethel Laird, I wonder?" asked Jerry. "I hope she
+hasn't forgotten she is on this welcoming committee. Suppose about
+twenty or thirty freshmen stepped off the five o'clock train. It would
+keep Marjorie and me busy chasing up and down this old board walk
+handing out welcomes."
+
+"Now where do you suppose we would be during that time?" demanded Leila.
+
+"Oh, you would be a help, undoubtedly," conceded Jerry, with a boyish
+grin. "I forgot about you folks. I was merely thinking of us from our
+committee standpoint. We'll have to guess whether these arrivals are
+freshies or not. I don't know all the Hamilton students and where they
+belong. It will be about my speed to walk up to some timid-looking
+damsel and gallantly offer my assistance only to find out she is a proud
+and lofty senior."
+
+"There are few faces at Hamilton which I don't know," Leila assured.
+"Behave well and stick to me and I'll promise you will not do anything
+foolish. I can pick a freshie from afar off."
+
+"Miss Remson told me yesterday that she understood there were one
+hundred and ten freshmen applications this year," said Katherine. "We
+are to have three freshies at Wayland Hall."
+
+"One hundred and ten democrats would help our cause along," remarked
+Lucy. "Only we need not expect any such miracle."
+
+"With the start we now have, if even half of the freshmen were for
+college equality, it would be a hard blow to the Sans. I wish it might
+be like that." Vera clasped her bits of hands, an unconsciously pretty
+fashion of hers when she earnestly desired something to come to pass.
+
+"The Sans will fight for every inch of the ground this year. See if they
+don't," Katherine Langly spoke with half bitter conviction. "Do you think
+for an instant that they will sit still and see democracy win? Leslie
+Cairns loves power. Joan Myers is determined to have her own way.
+Natalie Weymain is vain. Dulcie Vale is vindictive. Evangeline Heppler
+and Adelaide Forman are thoroughly disagreeable. Margaret Wayne is
+malicious and scandalously untruthful. There! That is my candid opinion
+of those seven students. I have always longed to express it."
+
+"I see you have found your tongue. I congratulate you." Leila beamed
+approval of such refreshing frankness on the part of quiet little
+Katherine.
+
+"We had better enter a conspiracy to spend our spare time rushing
+freshies," proposed Helen. "When they are with us they will be out of
+mischief."
+
+"First catch your hare," advised Muriel. "Maybe the freshies would not
+take kindly to the continuous round of pleasure we arranged for them. I
+don't believe there is any one infallible method of winning them over."
+
+"Oh, I wasn't serious," Helen said, with her roguish, indolent smile.
+"While I don't object to helping the great cause along, I am not
+yearning to become a polite entertainer. I'd probably be a most impolite
+one before the end of a week, if I had to rush freshies as a steady
+task. I am afraid few of them would turn out to be as amiable,
+beautiful, jolly, delightful, agreeable and companionable as good old
+Jeremiah here."
+
+"An awful waste of adjectives," was Jerry's terse reception of this
+extravagant tribute to herself. "Here comes the train." Despite her lack
+of sentiment, she flashed Helen a smile of comradeship.
+
+The belated express thundered into the station with a force which shook
+the platform. Instinctively the scattered groups of persons on the
+platform drew back a trifle as the first three coaches shot past. It was
+a long train and it did not take more than a second glance down its
+length to note that the last coach was quite different from the others.
+
+"Private car!" Leila's low exclamation held more than surprise. It was
+sarcastically significant. "Behold the Philistines are upon us," she
+continued in pretended consternation.
+
+"We needn't mind a little thing like that," Jerry assured with a genial
+smile. "They won't be met and fussed over by us. I wonder where the mob
+is who ought to be at the station to greet these celebrated geese?"
+
+"They certainly chose a poor day for a triumphal return." Muriel
+indulged in a soft chuckle at the Sans' expense. She broke off in the
+middle of it with a jubilant cry of, "Girls; there's Hortense just
+getting off the train three coaches up the platform!"
+
+"Hooray! Nella and Selma are with her!" This from Leila, whose eyes had
+picked up dignified Hortense Barlow descending the car steps immediately.
+Muriel had cried out. Following her were the two juniors of whom Leila
+and Vera were so fond.
+
+The unwelcome Sans entirely forgotten, Leila, Muriel and Vera headed an
+orderly rush up the platform. All of the station party were anxious to
+give the three juniors a hearty reception. Marjorie and Ronny happened
+to be the last of the little procession. The former bore in mind her
+chief object in coming-to the station and kept a sharp lookout for
+freshmen.
+
+Just as they reached the edge of the group which had closed in about the
+three arrivals, Marjorie's searching eyes spied a small, flaxen-haired
+young woman with wide-opened blue eyes and a babyish expression, coming
+toward her. The latter was burdened with a heavy seal traveling case and
+a bag of golf sticks. She had evidently emerged from the coach behind
+the one from which Nella and her two companions had come. As she
+advanced, she gazed about her with a slightly perplexed air.
+
+"Pardon me." Marjorie had stepped instantly to her side. "Are you a
+freshman? I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class, and hope I can be
+of service to you. I am one of a sophomore committee to welcome arriving
+freshmen."
+
+"Oh, thank you. Delighted, I'm sure, to know you, Miss Dean." The
+newcomer's conventionally courteous tone conveyed no particular
+enthusiasm. "Yes; I am a freshman. At least, I hope so. I have one exam.
+to try. I flunked in geometry at the prep school I attended last year.
+Had a tutor all summer. Guess I'll scrape through this time."
+
+"I hope you will," Marjorie made sincere return. She half offered a hand
+to the other girl. The latter did not appear to see it. She clung
+tightly to her bag of golf sticks and traveling case. Far from paying
+undivided attention to Marjorie, her wide blue eyes roved over the
+platform, the light of curiosity strong within them.
+
+"Hamilton must be a slow old college if it can't show more of a station
+mob than this," she remarked, almost disdainfully. "I mean it must be
+rather well--humdrum. I was at Welden Prep last year. It is a mighty
+lively school. It takes the Welden girls to properly mob the station.
+Oh, we were a gay crowd, I can tell you! Awfully select, you know, but
+really full of life."
+
+"You will find Hamilton lively enough, I believe. It is early yet. A few
+of us are back earlier than usual. Not more than a fifth of the students
+have returned yet." Marjorie's tone was kindly. She made a patient
+effort to keep reserve out of it. Her first impression of the
+dissatisfied freshman was not pleasing.
+
+"Oh, I see, I am glad there is hope." The girl gave a vacant little
+laugh. "I do so hate anything slow or poky or stupid. I had supposed
+Hamilton to be very smart and exclusive, or I wouldn't have chosen to
+come here."
+
+"It is a very fine college. There is no better faculty in the country,
+and the college itself is ideally located. You cannot help but love the
+campus. At which house are you to live?" Marjorie chose not to discuss
+Hamilton from the freshman's point of view.
+
+"Alston Terrace. Is it an interesting house to live in? Where do you
+live? Are the garage accommodations good? I shall have my own car here;
+perhaps two. How far is it from the station to the campus?"
+
+The stranger hurled these questions at Marjorie all in a breath. The
+latter's inclination toward secret vexation increased rather than
+diminished. Her freshman find was showing somewhat Sans-like tendencies.
+
+"All the campus houses are interesting. I live at Wayland Hall. There
+are several garages in the vicinity of the college. It is about two
+miles from the station to Hamilton. If you will come with me, I will
+introduce you to some of my friends. A number of us came to the station
+together; some of us to meet friends expected on this train. Miss Macy,
+my room-mate, and myself are on the committee. Let me help you with your
+luggage."
+
+Marjorie deftly possessed herself of the bag of golf sticks which the
+freshman now surrendered willingly, and led the way to the part of the
+platform where her companions had gathered around the three juniors.
+
+"Here she is!" exclaimed Vera, as she approached. "Aha! Now I know why
+you left us all of a sudden!" She smiled winningly at Marjorie's
+companion, who allowed the barest flicker of a smile to touch her
+slightly pouting lips.
+
+"Girls, I would like you to meet Miss----" Marjorie stopped, her color
+rising. The stranger had not volunteered her name at the time when
+Marjorie had introduced herself. She turned to the freshman with an
+apologetic smile. "Will you tell me your name?" she asked pleasantly.
+
+"Oh, certainly. My name is Elizabeth Walbert." As she spoke her restless
+eyes began an appraisement of the group of girls whom Marjorie had
+addressed.
+
+"Miss Walbert, this is Miss Mason, Miss Lynne, Miss Harper----" Marjorie
+presented her friends in turn to the newcomer, then said: "Please make
+Miss Walbert feel at home among us, while I greet our famous juniors."
+
+"Oh, we knew you wouldn't forget your little friends," laughed Selma,
+"particularly the Swedish dwarf." Selma, who stood five feet nine, had
+bestowed this name upon herself, she being the tallest of the four girls
+who had chummed together since their enrollment at Hamilton.
+
+Having warmly welcomed the trio, Marjorie realized Jerry was missing.
+She glanced quickly up and down the platform in search of her. She
+finally spied her coming down the platform with a plainly-dressed girl
+whose pale face, under a brown sailor hat, bore the unmistakable stamp
+of the student. In one hand she carried a small black utility bag of
+very shiny material. The other hand grasped the handle of a large straw
+suitcase. Jerry carried the mate to it. Her plump face registered
+nothing but polite attention to what her companion was saying. She was
+marching her freshman along, however, at a fair rate of speed. Not so
+far to their rear the Sans had detrained. Their high-pitched talk and
+laughter could be heard the length of the platform, as they gathered up
+their luggage and prepared to march on Hamilton. Jerry proposed to be
+safely in the bosom of her friends with her find before that march
+began.
+
+"Come along, children. Let's be going. The choo-choo cars are getting
+ready to choo-choo right along to the next station. Look as I may, I see
+no more arriving freshies--except the one Jeremiah is now towing toward
+us." Leila added this as she saw Jerry. "We'll delay our going in honor
+of the freshie."
+
+Next instant Jerry had joined them and was introducing Miss Towne, of
+Omaha, Nebraska, as the stranger had shyly declared herself. Amidst the
+crowd of dainty, white-gowned girls, she looked not unlike a dingy
+little brown wren. Miss Walbert eyed her with growing disapproval and
+gave her a perfunctory nod of the head. Immediately she turned her
+attention to the on-coming Sans whom she had already noticed. Her face
+brightened visibly as she watched them. While she had reluctantly
+decided that her new acquaintances were as well dressed as she, and
+carried themselves as though of social importance, their kindly
+reception of a girl who was clearly a dig and a nobody displeased her.
+The very manner in which the other group of girls were advancing made
+strong appeal to her. They were more the type she had known at Welden.
+
+Marjorie felt an imperative tug at her arm. "Who are those girls? They
+came from that private car. They are so much like my dear pals at
+Welden." Elizabeth Walbert's babyish features were alive with animation.
+
+"They are juniors. I have met a few of them. I can't really say that I
+have an acquaintance with any of them." Marjorie could think of nothing
+else to say of the Sans. She did not care to go into detail regarding
+them.
+
+"We go down those steps over there to reach the yard where two of my
+friends have parked their cars," she continued, with intended change of
+subject. Her companions were already moving toward the flight of stone
+steps. Miss Walbert still stood watching the approaching company of
+smartly-dressed girls.
+
+"Pardon me. What did you say?" The absorbed freshman spoke without
+looking at Marjorie. "I think I have met one or two of those girls.
+Summer before last, at Newport, I met a Miss Myers and a Miss Stephens.
+We had quite a lot of fun together one afternoon at a tennis tournament.
+Yes, I am sure those are the same girls. I met them afterward at a
+dinner dance."
+
+By this time the party had come within a few feet of where Marjorie and
+her annoying freshman find were standing. Marjorie felt the warm color
+flood her cheeks as a battery of unfriendly eyes was turned upon her.
+Her chums had already disappeared down the stairway, unaware that she
+had been left behind. She could hardly have conceived of a more
+disagreeable situation. Miss Walbert, however, was quite in her element.
+She had done precisely what she had intended to do.
+
+"Excuse me, I must really speak to my friends. I'll probably go on to
+the college with them. Thank you so much."
+
+With this Miss Walbert stepped hurriedly forward and addressed Joan
+Myers. "How do you do? You are Miss Myers whom I met at the Newport
+tennis tournament, I believe. So surprised to see you here and so
+pleased."
+
+Joan Myers stared hard at the speaker before replying. She recognized
+her as the girl she had met at Newport on the occasion mentioned. She
+also recalled the second meeting at the dance and acted accordingly.
+
+"How are you?" she returned affably, extending her hand. "Of course I
+remember you. Strange I can't recall your name. I met you at the Newport
+tournament and afterward at Mrs. Barry Symonds' dance. Are you going to
+enter Hamilton? So pleased, I am sure. Won't you join our party? You
+seem to be--er--well out of your proper element." Joan added this with
+insulting intent.
+
+Marjorie had stepped back as Miss Walbert had stepped forward. Her first
+impulse, in consideration of the cavalier dismissal she had received,
+had been to turn and walk away. Courtesy prompted her to wait a moment,
+thus making sure the freshman was accepted as an acquaintance by Joan
+Myers and Harriet Stephens. She had barely turned away as she heard Joan
+Myers say, "Won't you join our party?" She could, therefore, hardly help
+hearing the remark which followed.
+
+She went without attempting even a farewell nod. She was not hurt over
+the ill-bred manner in which she had been treated. She was disgusted
+with the other girl's utter shallowness. She was also visited by a sense
+of dull disappointment. Hurrying to overtake her own party, she
+discovered she was still carrying the freshman's golf bag. In the
+annoyance of the moment she had forgotten all about it. Bravely she
+decided to return it at once and have it off her hands immediately. She
+was half way down the steps when she made this resolve. She quickly
+remounted the stairs. From the top step she could see the Sans, standing
+where she had left them. Four or five juniors whom she had seen on the
+platform before the train came in, were with them now.
+
+"Is this the way to the station yard?" inquired a soft little voice at
+her elbow. "Can I get a taxi there that will take me to Hamilton
+College?"
+
+Marjorie turned quickly to meet the questioning gaze of two velvety
+black eyes. The owner of the soft voice and black eyes was a girl no
+taller than Vera. She had a small, straight nose and a red bud of a
+mouth. Her hair, under the gray sports hat which matched her suit, was a
+blue black, so soft as to be almost feathery. As she surveyed the pretty
+stranger, Marjorie's recent pang of disappointment left her. Here, at
+least, was a freshman more after her own heart.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE SANS' NEW RECRUIT.
+
+
+"If you will wait just a moment or two I will show you the way to the
+station yard. I am Marjorie Dean, of the sophomore class. I am down here
+today purposely to help incoming freshmen. I had one in tow a few
+minutes ago, but she met some acquaintances of hers and joined them. I
+carried off her golf bag and must return it. She is over there."
+Marjorie nodded toward the group. "Pardon me. I'll return instantly."
+
+"Thank you, ever so much. I shall be glad to wait for you," sweetly
+responded the newcomer. "I am Barbara Severn, of Baltimore."
+
+Marjorie stopped to acknowledge the introduction, then onerous as was
+the task, she went staunchly to it. Luckily for her, Miss Walbert stood
+at the edge of the group, momentarily neglected by her chosen
+acquaintances. They were busily engaged with their junior classmates.
+
+"Here is your golf bag, Miss Walbert. I forgot to give it to you when I
+left you." Her tone evenly impersonal, it carried a note of reserve
+which the other caught.
+
+"Oh, thank you. I--that is--I forgot about it, too." She attempted a
+smile as she reached out to take it from Marjorie's hands.
+
+"You are welcome." A slight inclination of the head and Marjorie was
+gone.
+
+Elizabeth Walbert watched the graceful figure in white across the
+platform. Certainly this Dean girl was awfully good style, she
+reflected.
+
+"What did mamma's precious pet want with you?" For the first time, since
+acknowledging an introduction to Elizabeth, Leslie Cairns had
+condescended to address her.
+
+"Nothing, except to return this. She carried it and forgot to give it to
+me when I shook her. I am glad she didn't wait and bring it over to
+Alston Terrace. I don't care much for that type of girl. She's priggish
+and goody-goody, isn't she?" Miss Walbert promptly took her cue from
+Leslie.
+
+While the babyish-looking freshman regarded Leslie with a perfectly
+innocent expression, there was lurking malice in her wide blue eyes. She
+had not liked the dignity Marjorie had shown when returning her
+property. It rankled in her petty soul. With the gratitude of the
+proverbial serpent, she was quite ready to sting the hand which had
+befriended her.
+
+"I'll say she is," returned Leslie. "I can't endure the sight of her and
+she knows it. You noticed she did not stay long. Lucky you knew Joan and
+Harriet. I'd be sorry for you if you had been roped in by that crowd of
+muffs." She laughed disagreeably.
+
+"It would take more than that crowd of muffs, as you call them, to rope
+me in," boasted the other girl. "I saw at once they were not the kind
+that make good pals. Not enough to them, you know. Besides, I prefer not
+to be too friendly with a stranger until I know her social position."
+
+Leslie Cairns regarded her meditatively, then held out her hand. "Shake
+hands on that," she invited. "You seem to have some sense. I hope you
+will stick to what you have said. If you do, you may count yourself a
+friend of mine. You will find, after you have been at Hamilton a while,
+that my friendship amounts to a good deal."
+
+"Oh, I am _sure_ of that," emphasized the freshman. She was not sure at
+all. What she had shrewdly taken stock of was the cut and material of
+the English tweed sports suit Leslie was wearing. It was a marvel of
+expense. It was conspicuous, even among the smart traveling suits of her
+companions. So were her sports hat and English ties. Leslie's assured
+manner also impressed her. She decided that this exceedingly ugly but
+very "swagger" girl must be a person of importance at Hamilton.
+
+Unmistakable gratification looked out from Leslie Cairns'
+roughly-chiseled features at the freshman's flattering response. Like
+the majority of the unworthy, she craved flattery. Since she had been
+denied physical beauty, she built her hopes on attracting admiration by
+her daring personality. During her freshman year at Hamilton she had
+acquired a certain kind of popularity by her high-handed methods.
+Possessed of an immense fortune, and in her own right, she had acquired
+tremendous power over her particular clique by reason of her money.
+Leslie never "went broke." The majority of the Sans received liberal
+allowances from home and spent them even more liberally. Leslie was a
+good port in time of storm--when she chose to be. Once under obligation
+to her, she was quite likely, if crossed, to let her debtor feel the
+weight of her displeasure.
+
+"Did that Miss Dean have anything to say about us?" Leslie casually
+inquired. Finding herself admired, she preferred to cultivate her new
+acquaintance rather than devote her attention to those of her class who
+had come down to the train.
+
+"She said--let me see." Miss Walbert knitted her light eyebrows in an
+elaborate effort at recollection. "She said she had never met any of
+you girls and she didn't care for an acquaintance with you. I had
+asked who you were because I wanted so much to know you. I recognized
+you girls at once as my kind. Just to see your dandy crowd coming along
+made me homesick for dear old Welden. I palled with a crowd like that at
+prep."
+
+"Our little angel, Miss Bean,--I always call her Bean instead of
+Dean,--doesn't care what she does with the truth," sneered Leslie. "Last
+fall we came down to the train to meet her crowd. We knew they were
+greenies from a little one-horse town called Sanford. They were to be at
+the same campus house as we. A few of us thought we would try to help
+them. We took my friend, Miss Weyman's, car and went to the station.
+Missed 'em by about two minutes. They hired a taxi. We felt mortified
+and went around to this Miss Dean's room to apologize. We were almost
+frost-bitten. They were so rude I felt ashamed for them. Afterward they
+started a lot of lies about us that made trouble for us at the Hall."
+
+"My goodness!" fluttered Miss Walbert. "I had a narrow escape, didn't I?
+I will take pains to steer clear of that whole crowd. I don't know
+whether I would recognize most of them if I happened to meet them on the
+campus. I would certainly know Miss Dean."
+
+"Where are you going to live?" Leslie dropped back into her usual
+indifferent drawl.
+
+"Alston Terrace. I have an exam. in math. to try. I'm pretty sure of
+staying, though. Is Alston Terrace as nice as the house where you are?
+What did you say the name of your house was? Could I change and get in
+there?" There was suppressed eagerness in the last question.
+
+"You could not." Leslie regarded the questioner with a superior smile.
+"I live at Wayland Hall. Our crowd live there, too. It's the best house
+on the campus, and hard to get into. It has two drawbacks; an idiot of a
+manager, and dear Miss Bean and her crowd. We have made complaint
+against the manager and she may have to go. She's a hateful old fossil
+and shows partiality. We can't do much about this crowd of which I've
+been telling you, unless they do something very malicious against us.
+Just let them start anything, though----" Her small black eyes narrowed
+unpleasantly.
+
+At this juncture Natalie Weyman appealed to her to corroborate a
+statement she had just made to one of the juniors who had come down to
+the train to meet the Sans. Natalie had not been too busy with her
+friends to note that Leslie had condescended to show interest in the
+freshman. She, therefore, decided to break up the conversation going on
+between them. It was bad enough to have Lola Elster to contend with.
+She did not propose to allow this forward little snip, as she mentally
+characterized Miss Walbert, any leeway toward Leslie's favor which she
+could prevent.
+
+"She doesn't like me and I don't like her," was the freshman's
+conclusion. When speaking to Leslie, Natalie had regarded her out of two
+very cold gray-blue eyes. The polite smile which had touched her lips
+was suggestive of frost.
+
+It was the last thing needed to fire Elizabeth Walbert's ambition toward
+an intimate friendship with Leslie Cairns. She resolved that she would
+not only be chums with Leslie. Sooner or later she would take up her
+residence at Wayland Hall. She had always been clever at obtaining
+whatever she desired. To attain a residence at the Hall might not be so
+very difficult. At least it was worth the effort. She did not care who
+might be shoved out in order to make room for her.
+
+Meanwhile Marjorie had safely conducted her second venture in freshmen
+to the spot where a knot of girls stood patiently awaiting her tardy
+appearance. Helen alone was missing, having gone into the town on an
+errand.
+
+"Where were you? We thought you were right behind us. What has become of
+your blonde freshie? We knew something had happened," was the reception
+which greeted her and her charge.
+
+"Do blondes change to brunettes in the twinkling of an eye?" laughed
+Leila, her blue eyes resting very kindly on Marjorie's pretty companion.
+
+"They do not. Miss Walbert deserted me. She knew Miss Myers and Miss
+Stephens. She went with them." Marjorie made the explanation in a calm,
+level voice which did not invite present questioning.
+
+"Then we can't count her in with this select aggregation," Vera said
+dryly. "Helen's gone, too, but her going was legitimate."
+
+"Ah, well. We have gained one and lost one. Let us run off with our gain
+before someone happens along and coaxes her away from us. Might we not
+know her by name?" Leila turned to Marjorie with a wide ingratiating
+smile. The stranger was already regarding Leila with open amusement.
+
+"You shall know her by name at once. You don't have to remind me to
+introduce her," retorted Marjorie. "I'll present you to her first of
+all. Miss Impatience, I mean Miss Harper, this is Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore." Marjorie again went through the ceremony of introduction,
+this time with smiles and whole-heartedness.
+
+"We are thirteen in number, but who cares?" Leila announced. "Seven to
+one and six to the other car, Midget. As we aren't in the jitney
+business we won't come to blows over the one extra fare."
+
+While they were disposing themselves in the two automobiles for the ride
+to Hamilton College, the sound of high-pitched voices announced the
+arrival on the scene of the Sans. Three of the juniors who had elected
+to meet them had driven their own cars to the station. Thus the
+illustrious Sans did not have to depend on the station's taxicabs.
+
+While Leila would have liked to drive off in a hurry rather than
+encounter at such close range the girls she so heartily despised, she
+moved, instead, with the utmost deliberation. She was just climbing into
+the driver's seat when the small but noisy procession of young women
+came opposite to her car. Vera sat ready to start, her slender hands
+resting idly on the wheel as she waited for Leila's signal. The
+occupants of both cars, save for the freshman from Baltimore, were
+making a commendable effort to appear impersonal. Miss Severn, of
+Baltimore, was innocently interested in the newcomers from the fact that
+they were also students of Hamilton College.
+
+Aside from considerable laughter, which sounded too pointed to be
+impersonal, the party of arriving juniors strolled past. Among the last
+came Leslie Cairns. She had insisted on walking with Elizabeth Walbert,
+greatly to Natalie's vexation. As she lounged past Leila's car she cast
+an insolent glance at the Irish girl. Leila returned it with an
+expression so inscrutably Celtic that Leslie hastily removed her gaze to
+Jerry, who sat beside Leila. She glared an intensity of ill-feeling at
+Jerry, which the latter longed to return, but did nothing worse than
+look blank.
+
+Leila drove her car almost savagely around the station yard and out into
+the wide avenue. Sight of the Sans, particularly Leslie Cairns, had put
+her momentarily in a bad humor. Her virile Irish temperament forbade her
+to do other than love or hate with all her strength of being. She hated
+Leslie as energetically as she adored Marjorie.
+
+"That Miss Walbert makes me sick," was Jerry's incensed comment as they
+bowled smoothly along the avenue. "I'd like to know just what happened
+to Marjorie. Of course she will tell us later. The idea of that little
+shrimp marching past us as though we were a collection of sign posts,
+particularly after we had treated her so decently. It's a good thing she
+showed her mettle from the start. Did you notice the way she snubbed my
+freshman?"
+
+"I did. How, may I ask, do you happen to be out here with me instead of
+sitting faithfully in the tonneau beside your find?" quizzed Leila.
+
+"Oh, Katherine and Lucy took her away from me. I guess I scared her. She
+is in Vera's car with them. If you don't enjoy my society, stop the
+buzz buggy and I will get out and walk. I may lose a pound or two, even
+if my feelings are hurt."
+
+"It is here you'll stay. Tongue cannot tell how much I enjoy your
+society," Leila extravagantly assured. "I see you are liking the Sans a
+little less than ever. I am of the same mind. Did you see Leslie Cairns
+look at us; first at me, then you? I did not expect them back so soon.
+For all their private car they met with a tiny reception. Four or five
+juniors; that is quite different from two years ago."
+
+"Maybe they've come back early to be on the scene and get a stand-in
+with the freshies," cannily suggested Jerry. "Wouldn't it be funny to
+see us and the Sans down at the station every day, grabbing the freshies
+as they came off the train, like a couple of jitney drivers?"
+
+Leila laughed. "They will never go that far. That would take some
+kindness of heart and consideration. If they rushed the incoming
+freshies just to spite us, they would soon sicken of their project. They
+are like the bandarlog in Kipling's Jungle books, they gather leaves
+only to throw them into the air."
+
+"Some of them will take a trip up into the air this year if they don't
+mind their own affairs," threatened Jerry. "The freshman crop was small
+today. We garnered two and the Sans one. I suppose there were some
+others who were met by students besides ourselves. Marjorie thinks we
+ought to meet two trains a day, at least. The rest of our committee
+ought to be here. We could divide up the trains among us. You and Vera
+are really doing the work of the absent members."
+
+"Say nothing about it. There is little to do this week. Vera and I were
+talking last night. We should have done this last year. We did not."
+Leila shrugged disapproval of her own former lack of interest in the
+welfare of other students.
+
+"Leila," Marjorie leaned forward and called out, "Miss Severn is going
+to Acasia House. Do you know where Miss Towne is to go?"
+
+"Somewhere off the campus," returned Leila. "Vera has her and her
+address. We are to take her to her boarding place first."
+
+Miss Towne's boarding house turned out to be a modest two-story brick
+house about half a mile off the campus. It was one of a scattered row,
+there being only a few houses in the immediate vicinity of the college.
+Muriel and Katherine helped her to the door with her luggage. Her
+friendly escort called her a cordial good-bye from the automobiles,
+after promising to look her up as soon as she should be fairly settled.
+She went to her new quarters in a daze of sheer happiness, feeling much
+as Cinderella must have when she unexpectedly found a fairy God-mother.
+
+Acasia House being Miss Severn's destination, the two cars wound their
+way in and out of the beautiful campus driveway. At the center drive
+they separated, Vera taking her car straight to Wayland Hall on account
+of Selma, Nella and Hortense. Muriel went with them, declining to be
+parted from her recently regained room-mate.
+
+Leila drove slowly toward Acasia House, endeavoring to give their
+freshman charge full opportunity to see the campus in its early autumn
+glory. Brimming with eager enthusiasm, Marjorie pointed out the various
+halls, the library, the chapel and the campus houses. She was pleased to
+find her freshman no less enthusiastic than herself over the campus
+itself. Marjorie took that as another good sign. No one who was really
+sincere at heart could fail to be impressed by the campus.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+HER FATHER'S METHODS.
+
+
+"There is just one thing about it. We have _got_ to get busy." Leslie
+Cairns made this announcement with special emphasis on the word "got."
+Her face wore an expression of sullen determination. "Those Sanford
+goody-goodies are out to do us."
+
+"Out to do us?" repeated Natalie Weyman, with questioning inflection.
+"What do you mean, Les? I failed to see any particular triumph on their
+part this afternoon. They merely marched off with a seedy-looking
+freshie or two. No one we wanted." Natalie shrugged her disdain of the
+Lookouts' capture. "Too bad that simple-acting Walbert creature didn't
+stay with dear Miss Bean. We could live without her. I have no use for
+that girl."
+
+Leslie's eyes narrowed. She banged her dessert spoon on the table with a
+vicious clang and thrust her chin forward.
+
+"Probably _you_ haven't, Miss Jealousy," she sneered. "I fail to see
+anything simple about Miss Walbert. She has three times as much sense as
+certain persons I could name."
+
+"Meaning me, I suppose." Natalie's tone was equally sneering. She was
+white with anger, principally at having been called "Miss Jealousy."
+Leslie had often privately accused her of being jealous-hearted. This
+was the first time she had ever taunted her so openly of it.
+
+"Won't you two _please_ stop scrapping?" begged Margaret Wayne in a
+tired voice. "I thought we came to the Colonial for a pleasant evening.
+It has been anything but that, with you two snarling back and forth at
+each other like a couple of tigers at the Zoo."
+
+"Much obliged for the compliment," flung back Natalie in frost-bitten
+accents.
+
+"Oh, you are entirely welcome." Margaret laid provoking stress on the
+"welcome."
+
+"Looks as if the scrap might be trusted to you, Wayne. You certainly can
+hold up your end of it." Leslie called her friends by their last names
+merely to be insolent. "Anyone can fuss with Nat, you know. She has the
+sweet disposition of a very sour pickle most of the time."
+
+"Since that is your opinion of me, I am surprised you ever cared to be
+friends with me at all." Very near to tears, Natalie managed to preserve
+an offended dignity which had more effect upon Leslie than any
+sarcastic retort might have had. Nor was Natalie unaware of this.
+Momentarily angered, she had made a strenuous effort to choke back the
+biting words just behind her lips. She always remembered one cold fact
+in time. It never paid in the long run to quarrel with Leslie.
+
+"Oh, you are not so bad when one has grown used to you," Leslie
+patronizingly conceded. "Excuse me for losing my temper and telling you
+the plain truth about yourself."
+
+Natalie's color rose. She hated Leslie's patronizing insolence more than
+she hated her open vituperation. She would have liked to say that she
+was amazed to learn that Leslie ever told the plain truth about
+anything. Prudence warned her to let the quarrel drop.
+
+"I accept your apology, Leslie," she said with great sweetness, entirely
+ignoring the sting of Leslie's remarks.
+
+"What?" Leslie stared. A faint snicker arose from two or three of the
+other girls. "You seem to have recovered your wits again, Nat," she said
+with elaborate carelessness. "We are quits, I guess, for the present."
+
+"Thank goodness!" This from Joan Myers. "Now that peace has been
+restored, perhaps you will condescend to tell us what you started out
+to say, Leslie."
+
+"De-lighted." Leslie bowed ironically. "To jump into the middle of the
+subject at once, I asked you seven Sans to this party tonight for a
+purpose. We eight girls are the founders of the Sans. I told all the
+other Sans that I wasn't going to ask them here tonight, and not to get
+their backs humped about it. I promised 'em a big party at the Ivy
+Saturday night. There is a private dining room there with a long table
+that will seat the whole eighteen of us. I don't know whether they liked
+it or not, and I don't care. It was up to us to talk things over and let
+them into it afterward."
+
+"Some of the girls had other engagements anyway," put in Joan Myers. "I
+know Anne Dawson and Loretta Kelly were invited to a senior blow-out at
+Alston Terrace."
+
+"Well, that's neither here nor there," retorted Leslie somewhat rudely.
+It did not please her to learn that any of the Sans had received more
+attention from the seniors than herself. Thus far she had not been the
+recipient of an invitation to dine from a senior. She was still inwardly
+sore at the lack of attention they had met with on their arrival at
+Hamilton station.
+
+"I don't think it is a very good policy for we eight founders of the
+Sans to keep to ourselves too much," deprecated Dulcie Vale, regardless
+of Leslie's views on the subject. "The whole eighteen of us will have to
+stick together and work hard if we expect to keep the upper hand of
+things here at Hamilton."
+
+"Oh, forget it," ordered Leslie brusquely. "Your trouble is easy to
+explain. You are sore because I didn't invite Eleanor, your pal, to this
+dinner."
+
+"I am not," stoutly contradicted Dulcie. Nevertheless her sudden flush
+belied her words.
+
+"Of course you are," went on Leslie imperturbably. "Understand, I didn't
+_want_ the rest of the gang here tonight, and that's that. What I
+started out to say when Nat and Joan and Margaret and you butted in, one
+by one, was this: We must bestir ourselves and make a fuss over the
+freshies. This year's freshman class is, I'm told, the largest entering
+class for ten years. I don't feel like bothering myself with the diggy,
+priggy element of freshies, but even they will have to be considered.
+I'd do anything to spite that Sanford crowd and upset the progress they
+have made against us."
+
+"What progress have they made, I'd like to know?" demanded Harriet
+Stephens scornfully. "If you mean the way they got back at us for
+ragging Miss Dean, I think that was _simply disgraceful_ in them to call
+a meeting as they did and blacken our standing at Wayland Hall. It is a
+wonder we managed to keep our rooms at the Hall after all the row they
+made about a little bit of ragging."
+
+"We kept them, just the same, and you may thank Joan and I for it,"
+significantly reminded Leslie. "I know old Remson is so sore at us she
+could snap our heads off. The funny part of it is, she will never know
+how cleverly we blocked her little game. That reminds me. I don't want
+the rest of the Sans to know the way we worked that scheme. Eight of us
+in the secret is enough. Remember, if it ever got out we would be all
+through at Hamilton College."
+
+"Do you believe we would be expelled, Les?" asked Dulcie Vale, looking
+worried.
+
+"I don't believe it. I _know_ we would. Nothing could save us. Never
+mind being scared, though. No one will ever know the rights of our plot
+unless some one of you girls here is silly enough to tell it. That's why
+I am cautioning you to be careful."
+
+"Leslie is precisely right about that," Natalie Weyman hastened to
+agree. "We shall have to be very careful what we do this year. I think
+that a little missionary work among the freshies would be a good thing
+for all of us. Later on we can drop them if they grow to be too much of
+a bore."
+
+"They will take care of themselves as they get used to college,"
+predicted Leslie. "If some of 'em turn out to be really smart, like Lola
+Elster, for instance, then we needn't be slow about running with them.
+_You_ think, Nat, that I have a crush on that Miss Walbert." Leslie
+turned directly to Natalie. "I have not. She is just the person I need,
+though, to carry out a plan of mine. Joan and Harriet both say that the
+Walberts have millions. They have a wonderful place at Newport. So Mrs.
+Barry Symonds told Joan. What did you say the Walbert's place was
+called, Joan?"
+
+"Evermonde," furnished Joan promptly. "I was sorry I didn't go and call
+on the kid, particularly after I found out who she was. I only met her
+twice at the tag end of the season."
+
+"What I want her for," continued Leslie with slow emphasis, "is the
+freshman presidency."
+
+"Some modest little ambition," murmured Evangeline Heppler.
+
+"Um-m! Well, rather!" agreed Adelaide Forman. "How do you propose to
+make it happen, Les?"
+
+"Leave that to me. I'm not prepared to tell you yet. I only know that it
+has to happen. It will give us a good hold on the freshies." Leslie's
+loose-lipped mouth tightened perceptibly. "We'll have to do some clever
+electioneering. I expect it will cost money. I don't care how much it
+costs, so long as I win my point."
+
+"You mean we must rush the freshies?" interrogated Margaret Wayne.
+
+"Yes," nodded Leslie. "Cart them around in our cars. Blow them off to
+dinners and luncheons. Begin tomorrow to go down to the station and grab
+them as they come off the train."
+
+"Deliver me from the station act." Joan Myers made a wry face.
+
+"You'll have to go to it with the rest of us," insisted Leslie with a
+suggestive lowering of brows. "This is really serious business, Joan. I
+don't intend to sit still and see a bunch of muffs like those Sanford
+girls run Hamilton College. We had things all our own way until they
+came upon the scene. Nothing has been as it should be for us since then.
+They have turned a lot of upper class girls against us. I don't mean
+Leila Harper and her crowd. They never had any time for us. There are a
+good many Silverton Hall girls of our social standing, but they went
+almost solid against us in that Miss Reid affair last year. Who was to
+blame for that? Those Sanford busybodies, you may be sure."
+
+"I believe it was that Miss Page who started the Silverton Hall gang,"
+differed Dulcie Vale, with a touch of sulkiness. She was still peeved at
+Leslie and now delighted in expressing a contrary opinion.
+
+"I don't care what _you_ believe," mimicked Leslie disagreeably. "I say
+it was the Sanford crowd who started the trouble."
+
+"Say it, then. Sing it if you like," retorted Dulcie. "I am privileged
+to my own opinion."
+
+"Keep it to yourself, then. I don't care to hear it," coolly returned
+Leslie. "You girls make me weary. You are all so ready to start fussing
+over nothing."
+
+"You are just as ready!" burst forth Dulcie, in a sudden gust of anger.
+"You think we all ought to do precisely as you say and never have an
+opinion of our own. I fail to see why I, at least, should be bossed by
+you. It isn't we girls that are at fault. It is you. I like you, Leslie,
+when you don't try to run everything. When you begin bullying, I can't
+endure you. Please don't attempt to bully me, for I won't stand it."
+
+"There is one thing about it," broke in Harriet Stephens decidedly, "we
+shall not accomplish much if there is no unity among us. So far as I am
+concerned, I would rather have Leslie take the lead. I will never
+forgive the Sanford crowd for what they did to us last March. If Leslie
+can find ways to get even with them, I am willing to do as she says,
+simply to see those hateful girls defeated in whatever they set out to
+do."
+
+"That is the proper spirit," approved Leslie. "Believe me, I know what I
+am saying when I tell you that we must fight those girls and put them
+in the background where they belong. The way to begin this year is to
+win over the freshies. The minute it is known we are interesting
+ourselves in these greenies' welfare, our popularity will take a jump
+upward. Every one of you can either give me your promise tonight to help
+or keep away from me the rest of the year. Think it over. Don't promise
+and then go to grumbling behind my back about it. If you do, I'll be
+sure to hear it."
+
+"It will be rather good fun to play angel to the freshies for a change,"
+said Evangeline Hepper. "We might have a picnic some Saturday, or give a
+hop for them. Have it understood, of course, that it was the Sans
+Soucians who were to be the hostesses."
+
+"We can decide better what to do after we have met a few of the
+freshmen," returned Leslie. "I hope there won't be many of those
+beggarly-looking girls who come into college on scholarships or scrape
+their way through without a cent above their expenses. They are so
+tiresome. That Miss Langly, of our class, is a glowing example of what I
+mean."
+
+"She is very high and mighty since the Sanford crowd took her up, isn't
+she?" shrugged Natalie.
+
+"She always was, for that matter," said Adelaide Forman. "Those girls
+have praised her and babied her until she is a good deal more
+infatuated with herself than she used to be."
+
+"That is another reason I have for wanting to get back at them,"
+asserted Leslie. "You all know the snippy way she acted when we asked
+her to change rooms with Lola. Worse still, she had to go and tell her
+troubles to the Sanford crowd. They started right in to tell everyone
+how brilliant she was and how shabbily we had treated her. Then the
+Silverton Hall girls took it up and spread the news abroad that Langly
+had won a scholarship no one else had been able to win for twenty years.
+That sent her stock away up and we had to stop ragging her or be
+disliked. I shall not forget that little performance in a hurry."
+
+"They certainly put one over on us with that miserable old beauty
+contest, too." Natalie's voice quivered with bitterness.
+
+"Leila Harper was to blame for that, Nat. She is the cleverest girl at
+Hamilton. We made a serious mistake in the beginning about her. They say
+her father has oodles of money." Joan looked brief regret at the mistake
+the Sans had made in not cultivating Leila.
+
+"We never could have got along with her," Leslie said decidedly. "I am
+glad we never took her up. I detest her and Vera Mason, too, but not
+half so hard as I do Miss Bean and her satellites." Leslie invariably
+said "Bean" instead of Dean in derision of Marjorie.
+
+She now paused, her heavy features dark with resentment. The
+independence of Marjorie Dean and her friends was a thorn to her flesh.
+Each time she had attempted to injure them she had been ingloriously
+defeated. She was determined, this year, not only to win back and
+maintain her former leadership at Hamilton College, but also to crush
+the rising power of the girls she so greatly disliked.
+
+"Are you going to let the rest of the Sans in on this station business?"
+inquired Harriet Stephens.
+
+"Naturally; we need them to help us out. Don't get the idea I am trying
+to keep the other girls out of our plans. I am not. It's like this. The
+eight of us ran around together at prep school before we took the rest
+of the girls into our crowd. We have always been a little more
+confidential among ourselves because we are the old guard, as you might
+say. Of course they know all about our troubles with Miss Bean and her
+pals. They went through them with us. What we must keep to ourselves is
+this Wayland Hall affair. We saved their rooms for them. They know that.
+They don't need to know the exact process by which we did it, do they? I
+merely told them that I thought I could get my father to fix up matters
+if there was any trouble started. They let us do all the worrying over
+it. I guess we have the right to keep it to ourselves. That settles
+you, Dulcie. You can quit sulking because I won't allow you to tell
+everything you know to Eleanor. Remember it is to your own precious
+interest not to."
+
+Leslie delivered herself of this long speech very much as her father
+might have addressed himself to a group of his business lieutenants. It
+was received with a certain amount of respect which was always accorded
+her by her chums when she adopted her father's tone and manner. They
+were all still more or less uneasy over the method which she and Joan
+had employed to save them their residence at Wayland Hall.
+
+"Leslie, do you think we will ever have any trouble about--well--about
+what you and Joan did?" questioned Evangeline Heppler rather uneasily.
+
+"Not unless you let someone outside this crowd into the secret. The only
+other person who knows it would not dare tell it. She would deny knowing
+a thing about it to the very end. Don't worry. That is past. It won't
+come up again. We are safe enough. It is up to us now to put the enemy
+on the back seats where they belong and regain the ground we lost last
+year. I repeat what I said awhile ago. We have _got_ to get busy."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+FRESHIE FISHING.
+
+
+The result of Leslie Cairns' rallying of her companions to her standard
+was made manifest when a fairly lengthy procession of automobiles,
+driven by Sans sped along the smooth roads to the station on the
+following Friday morning.
+
+While Leslie was not at all on good terms with Miss Humphrey, the
+registrar, she had other sources of information open to her regarding
+college matters which were by rights none of her affairs. It was,
+therefore, easy for her to learn how many of the freshman class had
+registered and govern herself accordingly. With the tactics of a general
+she went the rounds of the Sans, ordering them to be on hand all day
+Friday with their cars, provided these highly useful machines in the
+campaign had arrived on the scene. At least half of the Sans were
+already in possession of their own pet cars, these having been driven to
+Hamilton by the chauffeurs of their respective families. Nine
+automobiles accordingly went to swell the procession that sunny Friday
+morning and the Sans were in high feather as, two to a car, they set out
+on their self-imposed welcoming task.
+
+Leslie had decreed that they were to meet every incoming train of
+importance that day and spare no pains to make themselves agreeable to
+the newcomers. In case the freshman yield was small, they were to use
+their judgment about being friendly with returning students of the upper
+classes.
+
+"If we can't fill our cars with freshies, you girls all know just about
+who's who at Hamilton. Don't pick up a soph, junior or senior unless you
+are sure that it will be to our advantage to do so. Keep an eye out for
+faculty. Nothing like being on the soft side of them."
+
+Such was Leslie's counsel to her followers who were entering the
+campaign with a malicious zest infinitely gratifying to her. While the
+other eight cars contained two occupants apiece, Leslie's pet roadster
+held a third passenger. Leslie had elected to invite Elizabeth Walbert
+to share the roadster with herself and Harriet Stephens. This was not in
+the least to Natalie Weyman's liking. Her own car having arrived, she
+was obliged to drive it. She had not emerged from her cloud of
+resentment against the officious Miss Walbert, nor was she likely to.
+
+Meanwhile the faithful little committee, truly devoted to freshman
+welfare, was blissfully unaware that their duties were about to be
+snatched from them by the predatory Sans. The absent members of the
+committee having arrived, the seven girls held a meeting on Thursday
+evening in Marjorie's room, dividing the trains to be met among them.
+Marjorie and Jerry were to be reinforced by Leila and Vera. The others
+had also certain friends among the sophs, juniors and seniors who could
+be relied upon to help them.
+
+Marjorie and Jerry having been detailed to meet the ten-twenty train
+from the west each morning, Vera and Leila never failed to be on hand
+with their cars by nine o'clock. This permitted of a delightful spin in
+the fresh air over the many picturesque drives in the vicinity of
+Hamilton College. Always punctual, Leila never failed to get them to the
+station in plenty of time for the train.
+
+Driving into the station yard on this particular Friday morning, the
+sight of a line of shining automobiles caused them to blink in momentary
+astonishment.
+
+"The Sans!" muttered Leila, giving vent to her usual whistle of
+surprise. "Now what are the heathen up to? Look at that line of cars!
+Almost every color except violet. What do you make of that?"
+
+"They must expect a delegation of their own friends," guessed Marjorie.
+"A lot of upper class girls are expected at Hamilton today."
+
+"Freshies, too," added Leila, as she brought her car to a stop and
+prepared to alight. "Miss Humphrey told me she thought a large part of
+the freshman class would be in on Friday and Saturday. I was complaining
+to her of how few we had landed in the past week."
+
+By this time Jerry and Vera were both out of Vera's car and had come
+quickly up to Marjorie and Leila.
+
+"Can you beat it?" saluted Jerry. "We think the Sans have come freshie
+fishing. What do you think?"
+
+"Little Miss Charitable thinks they may be down here to meet their own
+friends," remarked Leila with a mischievous glance toward Marjorie. "You
+guileless infant! Don't you know what has happened? The Sans are going to
+do just what some of us said the other night they wouldn't take the
+trouble to do. They have gone into the welcoming business."
+
+"One, two, three----" Vera had begun to count the colorful array of
+automobiles. "Nine machines." She turned to Leila with a little laugh.
+"It shows which way the wind is blowing, doesn't it?"
+
+"We are going to have some fun with them this year," predicted Leila
+with a touch of grimness. "They are beginning to be afraid of losing
+their glory or you would never see them down here welcoming freshmen."
+
+"Let's get along and take a look at our rivals," suggested Jerry
+humorously. "I suppose they will all be dressed to kill. Too bad they
+can't appear in full evening dress. That would be so much more
+impressive."
+
+"I am not going to let them bother me," announced Marjorie placidly.
+"The kind of girls we are specially on the lookout to help will not be
+their kind. They will pick out the smartly-dressed ones and leave the
+humble ones, if there are any, to us. After all, there are not very many
+poor students at Hamilton. I suppose it is because of the high tuition
+fees and the expensive board here."
+
+"We had better hustle along. Hear that?" Jerry; raised a hand for
+attention. "That is the train whistling."
+
+Without further delay the quartette hurriedly sought the stairs and
+reached the platform a moment or two before the train appeared in
+sight.
+
+"I shall not be sorry when our committee duties end," Marjorie said with
+a faint sigh. "It seems as though about all I have done since I came
+back to Hamilton is to meet trains. I have a lot of things to do for
+myself that I haven't had time to think about. I haven't arranged my
+study programme either."
+
+"Cheer up. Tomorrow will end it," consoled Vera. "There will be some
+stragglers next week, of course, but today and Saturday will see the
+most of the students here."
+
+"Look at the Sans." Leila arched her brows and drew down the corners of
+her mouth. "Hmm! Posted all along the platform with General Cairns in
+the most prominent place. And do my eyes tell me lies! Isn't that girl
+hanging on her arm the freshie you lost the other day, Marjorie?"
+
+"Yes, it is Miss Walbert." Marjorie instantly identified the fickle
+freshman.
+
+"You never said a word to any of us about what happened the other day
+except that she knew Miss Myers and left you," Jerry said. "I meant to
+ask you about her afterward and I forgot it. Was she snippy with you?"
+
+"No-o; not exactly snippy." A faint smile rose to Marjorie's lips. "She
+wasn't satisfied to stay with us. The minute she caught sight of the
+Sans she wanted to be with them. Then she found she knew Miss Myers and
+Miss Stephens, and she simply walked off and left us."
+
+"She's a first-class snob, isn't she?" persisted Jerry.
+
+"Yes, she is," Marjorie responded truthfully. "Frankly I am not sorry
+she left us. I seldom dislike a girl on sight, but I did not like her. I
+found it hard work to be polite to her. There was something about her
+that jarred on me dreadfully."
+
+The arrival of the train cut off further conversation for the moment.
+The four girls turned their attention to watching the little stream of
+girls that issued from the several cars. Greatly to their amusement the
+Sans behaved somewhat after the manner of taxicab drivers eagerly
+soliciting fares.
+
+"We stand small chance with the freshies today, unless we can line up
+beside the Sans and call out our merits," laughed Leila.
+
+Marjorie smiled absently, only half hearing Leila's remark. Her eyes
+were roving up and down the platform in an effort to pick up any girl
+whom the Sans might deliberately choose to overlook. She saw no one. The
+considerable number of girls who had descended the car steps were being
+taken in tow by the new self-constituted reception committee. The
+clanging of bells and the sharp blast of the whistle proclaimed the
+train to be ready to move on. The Sans and their finds were already
+turning their back upon it.
+
+Several yards below where she was standing, Marjorie suddenly spied a
+lithe, girlish figure coming down the car steps almost at a run,
+burdened though she was by a traveling bag and a suitcase. At the bottom
+step she lost her grip on the leather bag and it rolled onto the
+platform. Instantly Marjorie hurried to her, followed by Jerry. Leila
+and Vera were genially shaking hands with two seniors who were also
+behind the main body of the crowd in leaving the train.
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed a dismayed voice, as the traveler's feet found the solid
+platform.
+
+Marjorie had already recovered the leather bag. Nor was she a second too
+soon. Joan Myers had lagged behind her companions to talk to a senior
+who had just come off the train. She had also seen the solitary arrival.
+She had not failed to note the girl's ultra smart appearance and
+consequently decided to take charge of her. Utterly ignoring the fact
+that Marjorie had retrieved the rolling grip, Joan grandly held out her
+hand to the newcomer.
+
+"Freshman?" she inquired, in sweet tones. "So glad to welcome you to
+Hamilton. Do let me help you. A number of my friends and myself are
+making a point of welcoming freshman arrivals. Just come with me and I
+will see that you are taken care of."
+
+Forgetful for the fraction of an instant of the gracious role she was
+essaying, Joan flashed Marjorie a contemptuous glance. It said more
+plainly than words: "You are not wanted here."
+
+Well aware of it, Marjorie stood her ground. She was still in possession
+of the bag. Joan's interruption had given her no time either to greet
+the traveler or return her property.
+
+"Thank you. I am expecting a cousin of mine to meet me." The girl
+responded courteously, but with a trace of reserve. "Perhaps you know
+her. She is Miss Page of Silverton Hall."
+
+"I know who she is. I believe I have met her." A dull tide of red
+mounted to Joan's cheeks. "So long as you are to be met by _her_ I won't
+intrude. So pleased to have met you, I'm sure." With this hasty and
+insincere assurance, Joan beat a rapid retreat, leaving Marjorie, Jerry
+and the freshman to their own devices.
+
+"I don't believe she can be a very intimate friend of Robin's," calmly
+commented the girl, a slightly mocking light in her pretty blue eyes.
+
+"She isn't," was Jerry's blunt answer, "but we are. If you are willing
+to take our word for it, we shall be glad to see you to Hamilton
+College. I heard yesterday that Robin was back, but we haven't seen her
+yet. I am Geraldine Macy and this is my friend Marjorie Dean."
+
+"I have heard of both of you from Robin. I spent two weeks with her at
+Cape May this summer. Now I know I am in the hands of friends. Tell you
+the truth, I didn't like that other girl a little bit. I hadn't the
+least intention of toddling along with her. I was glad I had Robin for
+an excuse. I really thought she would meet me. As you haven't seen her
+since you heard she was back, that means she certainly isn't around here
+now. I think that tall, red-faced girl was awfully rude to thrust
+herself upon me when she could plainly see that you were holding my
+bag." She now addressed herself to Marjorie.
+
+"I made up my mind to hang on to the bag until I had a chance to speak
+to you." Marjorie evaded passing opinion on Joan. "Jerry and I are on
+committee to welcome freshmen. This morning a crowd of juniors came down
+to the station for that purpose. We did not have any luck
+freshie-fishing. The juniors caught them all, with the exception of
+yourself."
+
+"I came near being carried on to the next station," laughed the girl. "I
+dropped my coin purse and couldn't find it. I was frantic, for I had
+stuffed some bank notes into it and naturally didn't want to leave the
+train without it. It had rolled under the seat just in front of me. By
+the time I found it the train was ready to start and I had to hustle. I
+nearly took a fall on that last step, but saved myself by letting my bag
+go instead of me. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Phyllis Marie
+Moore, at your service, and when we all get past the Miss stage you may
+like to call me Phil. I used to be a terrible tomboy until I grew up. I
+am a rapid fire talker. I love to talk and I have very strong likes and
+dislikes. Let me see. Oh, yes. I say outright whatever I think, whether
+it sets well or not. Those are the main points about me, I guess. You
+may now discard me or take me to your heart; just as you please," she
+ended with a merry little laugh.
+
+"We shall be delighted to begin cherishing you immediately," Marjorie
+gaily assured.
+
+Jerry was quick to add to the assurance. Given also to very positive
+likes and dislikes, she had already taken a great fancy to Robin's
+lively cousin. She had a shrewd opinion that it would not take Phillis
+Marie Moore long to make a prominent place for herself in the freshman
+class.
+
+Leila and Vera now joined them, in company with the two seniors, who
+were going to the campus in Vera's car. Leila claimed the privilege of
+conveying the freshman arrival at Silverton Hall, her destination. Once
+there, Miss Moore's three upper class guardians were given a vociferous
+greeting by a bevy of jubilant girls.
+
+"You bad old goose!" was Robin Page's affectionate censure as she hugged
+her tall, boyish cousin. "Why didn't you wire me?"
+
+"I did," returned Phyllis. "You'll probably receive it tomorrow. That
+will be so nice, won't it, to get a wire that I am on the way when I'm
+already here?"
+
+"You fell into good hands, anyway," Robin beamed on the trio of Wayland
+Hall girls. "Do you notice anything different about me?" she asked
+anxiously of them all. Very carefully she turned her head so that the
+small knot of hair at the nape of her white neck could be seen. "I am a
+real grown-up young person now!" she proudly exclaimed. "I can do up my
+hair."
+
+"You are that," Leila agreed in her most gallant Irish manner. "It is
+now that we shall have to begin to treat you with proper respect."
+
+"See that you do," retorted Robin. "Right away quick I am going to treat
+you folks to luncheon. You must stay. It will be ready in a few minutes.
+Come up to my room and we can hold an impromptu reception until the bell
+rings. The Silvertonites are all anxious to see you. As sophs we have a
+duty to perform. We must try hard to impress my freshman cousin. Do
+telephone Ronny, Lucy, Muriel and Vera to come over. You can run 'em
+over in your car, Leila, in a jiffy."
+
+"Many thanks for Vera's and my invitation. We can't accept, for we have
+a luncheon engagement at Baretti's with two seniors. I must be hurrying
+along or I'll be late. I'll send the girls back in my car. Any of them
+can drive it."
+
+Leila took hurried farewell of her friends and drove off at top speed.
+True to her word, it was not long before her car swung into sight again
+driven by Ronny. The three new arrivals were received with the same
+heartiness which had been extended to Marjorie and Jerry. By the time
+they appeared, Robin's large square room was overflowing with girls.
+
+Once more in the genial atmosphere which always pervaded Silverton Hall,
+the petty worries and annoyances of the past week fell away from
+Marjorie. She entertained a momentary regret that she had not chosen
+Silverton Hall as a residence in the beginning. She and her chums would
+have found life so much pleasanter there.
+
+Then the face of kind little Miss Remson rose before her. She realized
+how very fond she had grown of the upright, sorely-tried manager. She
+reflected, too, that, if the Lookouts had not gone to Wayland Hall to
+live, it would have been much harder for Katherine Langly. Neither would
+she have known Leila, Vera, or Helen Trent intimately. Besides, she
+loved Wayland Hall and its beautiful premises best of all the campus
+houses. It had been Brooke Hamilton's favorite house. Miss Remson had
+once told her this. In spite of the difficulties the Lookouts had
+encountered at the Hall, Marjorie wondered if, perhaps, they had not
+gravitated to it for some beneficient, hidden purpose which only time
+might reveal.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+WINNING OVER THE FRESHMEN.
+
+
+As Vera had predicted, Saturday brought to Hamilton a goodly number of
+freshmen. Though the faithful reception committee was strictly on duty
+that day, the Sans relieved them of a large part of their conscientious
+task. They were even more in evidence than on Friday. Greatly to the
+surprise of Marjorie and her companions, they laid themselves out to be
+democratic. They rushed every young woman who bore freshman earmarks
+with a zeal which might have been highly commendable had it been
+sincere. Out of the considerable number of freshman arrivals that
+Saturday, Marjorie and her committee captured not more than half a
+dozen.
+
+"The end of a perfect day, I don't think," grumbled Jerry. The
+five-fifty train had come and gone. Though the seven sophomores had all
+been on duty, not one of them had a freshman to show for it.
+
+"I'm glad it is over," Marie Peyton said wearily, as the nine disgusted
+workers strolled to their waiting cars. "I suppose the Sans thought we
+would contest the ground with them. I wouldn't be so ill-bred. Come on
+over to the Colonial for dinner. I hereby invite you. We need a little
+pleasant recreation to offset this fiasco. Next year, no committee duty
+for me. I have had enough of it."
+
+"How many freshies do you think they have captured altogether?" asked
+Blanche Scott.
+
+"Oh, sixty or seventy, at least," was Elaine Hunter's guess. "They have
+been down to every train for the last two days. Between trains they have
+hung around the Ivy and that other tea shop just below it. I don't
+recall the name. It opened only last week."
+
+"The Lotus," supplied Jerry. "The funny part of it is the way Miss
+Cairns has marched that Miss Walbert around with her. They seem to be
+very chummy.
+
+"Leslie Cairns is trying to popularize Miss Walbert with the freshmen.
+That is why she has been keeping her on hand at all the trains. I am
+sure of it," stated Vera positively. "You just watch and see if I am not
+right. The Sans are going to try to run the freshman class. Otherwise
+they would never have gone to the trouble they have."
+
+"They won't keep it up. Mark what I tell you, there will be a lot of
+snubbed and very wrathful freshies before the month is out," prophesied
+Leila.
+
+"I hope the grand awakening comes before their class election. I doubt
+it. With Miss Walbert as president of 19--, the Sans would feel they
+had really put one over on us. I think Phyllis Moore, Robin's cousin,
+would make a fine freshman president." Jerry glanced about her for
+corroboration.
+
+"Why not do some quiet electioneering for her, then," suggested Grace
+Dearborn. "It is just as fair for us to boost a freshie for an office as
+for the Sans. It would be only a helpful elder sister stunt. We need not
+make ourselves prominent. A girl like Miss Moore would be a fine
+influence to her class. This Miss Walbert would not be."
+
+"It isn't really our business," demurred Marjorie, "but I think it would
+be a good thing, nevertheless. We are fighting for democracy. The Sans
+are fighting for popularity and false power. I am willing to do all I
+can to help the cause along. I know Ronny and Muriel and Lucy will feel
+the same. Jerry's here to speak for herself."
+
+The others agreeing to enter into a quiet little plot to put the right
+girl in the freshman presidential chair, how they should go about it
+formed the main topic of conversation at Marie's dinner at the quaint
+Colonial that evening. All sorts of ways and means were suggested, only
+to be abandoned. It was impossible to proceed until they had come into
+more of a knowledge of the freshmen themselves. Each, however, pledged
+herself to make a point of getting acquainted with the freshmen in the
+house where she resided and sounding them on their policies, with a view
+toward giving them a hint in the right direction.
+
+It seemed to Marjorie that the next few days following her strenuous
+service on committee were days of undiluted peace. Busy with her study
+programme she forgot, for the time being, that there ever were any such
+persons as the Sans Soucians. She had decided on French, chemistry,
+Greek tragedy, Horace's odes and spherical trigonometry for the fall
+term, a programme that meant hard study. Since coming to Hamilton her
+active interest in chemistry had increased and she planned to carry the
+study of it through her entire college course. The laboratory at Sanford
+High School had been well equipped, but the Hamilton laboratories were
+all that scientific progress could devise. Marjorie hailed her chemistry
+hours with the keenest pleasure.
+
+The other four Lookouts were hardly less occupied than herself in
+arranging their college affairs for the fall term. With a year of
+college behind them it was much easier to buckle down to study and enjoy
+it than it had been when they had first entered Hamilton. Girl-like,
+they loved the good times college offered, yet they were as quick to
+appreciate the rare educational advantages Hamilton afforded and make
+the most of them. The average college girl takes the utmost pride in
+keeping to the fore in her studies. In this the Lookouts were no
+exception.
+
+Not forgetting their pledge to get acquainted speedily with the freshmen
+in their own house, the Lookouts found themselves completely blocked in
+their well-meant design by the Sans. To begin with, there were only four
+freshmen at Wayland Hall. These the Sans completely monopolized. As yet,
+no one at the Hall outside the Sans had a speaking acquaintance with
+them.
+
+Silverton Hall was also at a disadvantage by reason of the few vacancies
+there. It had been almost entirely a freshman house the previous year.
+It was now practically sophomore. A few girls, having made changes on
+account of friends in other houses, there had been eight vacancies and
+no more. Phyllis Moore had been fortunate enough to secure board there.
+The seven other freshmen had turned out to be delightful girls with no
+snobbish notions. Seven democrats in a class of one hundred ten, with
+the politics of the other hundred and two doubtful, did not point to a
+speedy election of Phyllis to the freshman presidency.
+
+"We might as well give up boosting Phil as a hopeless job," Jerry
+remarked to Marjorie one evening, as the two girls were putting away
+their books preparatory to retiring. Both made it a rule not to talk
+over outside matters until next day's recitations had been prepared. "It
+is two weeks since we planned the fateful boost and none of us have made
+much headway."
+
+"I know it." Marjorie looked up regretfully from the scattered sheets of
+the finished theme which she was collecting. "The trouble is, so many of
+the freshies are at Alston Terrace. Acasia House has about twenty. Ethel
+Laird says they are a fairly affable set, but Miss Burton and Miss
+Elster are doing their best to spoil them. There are as many as
+twenty-five freshies off the campus entirely. Miss Humphrey told me
+that. There were twelve registrations from the town of Hamilton this
+year. Of course those students go home after recitations."
+
+"Not much can be done when a class is so scattered. I mean by us. Let me
+count 'em up. There are twenty-five off the campus, eight at Silverton
+Hall," enumerated Jerry; "four here, forty-four at Alston Terrace. Think
+of that. That makes one hundred and one. Now where are the other nine?
+At Craig Hall, perhaps, or Houghton House. You see Miss Walbert has the
+advantage over Phil as she is at Alston Terrace, the freshie center."
+
+Marjorie nodded. "It doesn't look very promising for Phil," she said.
+"Robin would love to have Phil win the presidency. She is so proud of
+her. The Silverton Hall crowd adore her already. She is a dear. She is
+so full of fun. I like her frank, boyish ways. Leila told me today that
+the Sans are planning some kind of party for the freshmen. She heard it
+somewhere on the campus. I don't know who told her."
+
+"That is to taffy the freshmen so they will vote for Miss Walbert," was
+Jerry's instant uncharitable conclusion. "They haven't held their class
+election yet. When is this party to be, I wonder?"
+
+"Leila doesn't know. If the Sans do make a party for the freshmen I
+doubt if all of them will attend it. It won't be at all like the regular
+freshman dance. Still," she continued reflectively, "if the Sans take
+that much trouble for them, they ought to respond."
+
+"Yes; I guess that's so. The freshies haven't been here long enough to
+know the charming Sans as they really are. In their infant verdancy they
+will probably look upon it as a great honor. They'll probably be more
+enlightened after they have attended it," Jerry added with a wicked
+little grin.
+
+Two days later it became circulated about the campus that the freshmen
+had been invited by the Sans to attend a picnic, instead of a party, to
+be given at Pine Crest, a wooded height about five miles east of
+Hamilton College. For many years it had been a favorite college picnic
+ground. Hardly a Saturday passed, when the weather was good, without an
+invasion, great or small, of its fragrant, pine-shaded premises. It was
+an ideal spot for an al fresco luncheon. As it could be reached by
+automobile, it was all the more popular with the Hamilton students.
+
+The certainty of the rumor was made manifest to Marjorie when, on
+Wednesday evening after dinner, she and Jerry heard a timid knock on
+their door. Jerry, hastening to open the door, their caller proved to be
+Anne Towne.
+
+"Why, good evening, Miss Towne!" Jerry extended a hospitable hand. "So
+glad to see you. We wondered what had become of you. We knew you owed us
+a visit and were waiting for you to pay it." Jerry ushered the wren-like
+freshman into the room and offered her its most comfortable chair.
+
+"I have been intending to call, but I--" Miss Towne paused, looking
+rather confused. "You see--I--didn't know but I might intrude. You girls
+are so different from myself," she suddenly blurted out, as though
+anxious to bare her diffident soul to her dainty hostesses and have it
+over with. "I mean different because you aren't poor and have lots of
+friends and can entertain them and all that. I know it is the custom at
+college for the upper class girls to be kind to entering freshmen. I
+didn't care to presume on your kindness. I hope you understand me." She
+flushed painfully.
+
+"Nonsense," scoffed Jerry sturdily. "We aren't a bit haughty. We want
+you to be our friend and hope to see you often. You mustn't think about
+such things. Just go along with your head held high. If people don't
+like you for your own merits, they are not worth cultivating."
+
+"I believe you couldn't have been so very much afraid of Jeremiah's and
+my great dignity or you wouldn't have dared come and see us tonight."
+Marjorie smiled encouragement at the still embarrassed girl.
+
+"Perhaps I wasn't really." Marjorie's winning smile communicated itself
+to the other girl. Her tired little face brightened wonderfully. "I am
+sure I won't be afraid ever again. I would love to call both of you my
+friends."
+
+"Do so; do so." Jerry's instant response in a pompous tone made Miss
+Towne laugh. Marjorie thought her pretty when she laughed. Her teeth
+were unusually white and even, and her face broke into charming little
+lines of amusement.
+
+"I will," she promised. "I came to you tonight for advice. You were all
+so kind to me the other day, I thought you wouldn't mind my asking you
+something. I have received an invitation to a picnic next Saturday to
+be given to the freshman class. Here it is."
+
+Miss Towne opened a small handbag and drew from it a heavy white
+envelope. The faint odor of perfume still clung to it. Drawing from it a
+sheet of paper to match, she handed the latter to Marjorie. It read:
+
+    "Dear Miss Towne:
+
+    "The Sans Soucians will be glad to see you at a picnic, to be
+    given in honor of the freshman class next Saturday afternoon,
+    the weather permitting, at Pine Crest.  Please meet the other
+    members of the class in front of Science Hall, at half-past one
+    o'clock.  The trip will be made by automobile and the Sans
+    Soucians will entertain at luncheon.
+
+                         "Yours cordially,
+                              "Dulciana Vale, Secy. Sans Soucians."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+THE DIFFERENCE IN PICNIC PLANS.
+
+
+Marjorie studied the invitation in silence. Then she handed it to Jerry.
+The latter read it and said "Humph!" in a disgusted tone.
+
+"I didn't know what I ought to do about it," broke in Miss Towne
+anxiously. "Who are the Sans Soucians? I've read quite a little of
+college sororities. I suppose they are a sorority. Would they be
+offended if I didn't go? I can't really spare the time. I do my own
+laundering on Saturday afternoon. The landlady allows me to use the
+kitchen. I don't mind telling you girls that. I would rather not give it
+as an excuse to the Sans Soucians, though. Perhaps I would not be missed
+if I didn't go. Do you think I would be? Are you girls members of the
+Sans Soucians?"
+
+"Well, hardly!" Jerry spoke on the impulse of the moment. Miss Towne
+looked at her with increasing anxiety. Jerry's response was not
+indicative of flattery to the Sans Soucians.
+
+"The Sans Soucians are a private club of eighteen juniors," Marjorie
+quickly explained. "They live here at the Hall. They are all girls from
+very wealthy families and they entertain a good deal among themselves.
+They have taken an unusual interest in the freshmen since they came back
+to college. We heard that they intended to give a picnic in honor of the
+freshies. I believe I would try to go if I were you. It will be a good
+opportunity for you to meet the other members of your class. Besides,
+Pine Crest is such a beautiful spot. The afternoon in the fresh air will
+do you good."
+
+Jerry gazed at Marjorie, a slight frown puckering her forehead. It was a
+fair-minded answer and just like Marjorie. Still, it went against her
+grain to help the Sans' cause along in the slightest degree.
+
+"Have you met any of your classmates yet?" she asked abruptly. Without a
+little freshman support Jerry was not sanguine of Miss Towne's enjoyment
+of the picnic. The Sans' hospitality was not to be trusted.
+
+"I know four girls a little who live several houses below me. They have
+the third floor of the house and do light house-keeping. They are very
+much pleased with the invitation. I wish they would ask me to go with
+them. I hate to go alone. I will accept, though, so long as you think it
+best." She turned to Marjorie with a kind of meek trust that touched the
+latter.
+
+"Perhaps these other freshmen will ask you," was Marjorie's hopeful
+rejoinder. "If they shouldn't you will see them at the picnic and be
+with them anyway, perhaps. I know an even better plan. Suppose we get
+the rest of the girls, Jerry, and go over to Silverton Hall. We can
+introduce Miss Towne to the freshies there and she will be sure to have
+company at the picnic."
+
+"All right, Marvelous Manager. I'll go and round them up." Jerry rose
+and promptly disappeared in search of her chums.
+
+"I don't think I ought to go," demurred Muriel, when invited. "I have a
+hundred lines of French prose to translate. It's terribly hard, too."
+
+"Translate it when you come back," suggested Jerry.
+
+"I see myself doing it. It is half-past seven now. We'll be back here
+about ten minutes before the ten-thirty bell. That will give me a lot of
+time to translate a hundred lines. Now won't it?"
+
+"Oh, come along. I'll see that you get back by nine-thirty, even if we
+have to start home ahead of the others," glibly promised Jerry.
+
+"I'll see to it myself," declared Muriel. "I intend to be a stickler for
+duty this night. Go and get Ronny and Lucy while I do my hair over. It's
+all falling down. I will meet you down stairs."
+
+Lucy and Ronny also raised weak objections on the ground of unprepared
+recitations. Nevertheless they shut up their books with alacrity.
+Neither cared to be left out of a visit to Silverton Hall.
+
+Presently the six girls were crossing the campus under the autumn stars.
+It was a soft October night and none of the Lookouts had donned hats or
+wraps. Walking between Marjorie and Ronny, Miss Towne began partly to
+understand how very delightful some girls could be. She had never had an
+intimate girl friend and she thought it remarkable that these
+self-possessed, beautifully dressed girls should be so ready to show her
+every kindness.
+
+"You dear things!" was Robin Page's greeting as she fairly pranced into
+the living room at Silverton Hall not more than three minutes after her
+callers' arrival. "You certainly are unexpected but awfully welcome.
+Come up to my room this minute."
+
+Robin smiled in friendly fashion at Miss Towne, although she had never
+met her. Immediately she had been introduced to the lonely freshman, and
+Marjorie had stated the object of their call, Robin said heartily:
+
+"I will go and hunt up our freshies as soon as you are up in my room.
+Phil is there, of course. She rooms with me, you know. She swears she
+isn't going to that picnic. I don't know what the others think about
+it. Once get them together, it will be a good chance to find out."
+
+Ushered into Robin's room, the Lookouts and their charge found Phyllis
+looking girlishly pretty in a flowered silk kimono. She received them in
+the pleasant, straightforward way they so greatly admired in her and
+proceeded to show an especial friendliness to Miss Towne.
+
+Presently the murmur of voices outside announced that Robin had been
+successful in her quest. In fact she had found all seven of the freshmen
+in their rooms and had rushed them a la negligee to her own.
+
+"Here we are," she breezily announced, "and not a freshie missing. I'll
+proceed to the great introduction act. Then, make yourselves at home."
+
+As both groups of girls were bent on being friendly, a buzz of
+conversation soon arose. Under cover of it Robin said to Marjorie: "What
+do you think about the Sans' new stunt? You know just why they are doing
+it and so do all of us who fought out that basket-ball affair with them
+last year. Their motive isn't a worthy one. Still we really can't tell
+the freshies that. Phil understands matters. That's why she doesn't care
+to go. I know you want Miss Towne to go, or you would not have brought
+her over here tonight to get acquainted with our freshies. She will be
+safe from snubs with our girls. They are all fine. Too bad, but I don't
+trust the Sans even to do this stunt in a nice way. They will be sure to
+get haughty and hurt some freshie's feelings before their picnic is
+over."
+
+"I have no faith in them, but it would be hardly fair not to give them
+the benefit of the doubt," returned Marjorie earnestly. "I wish Phil
+would go. It would be a good opportunity for the freshmen to see what a
+fine president they might have in her. She is so individual. I think she
+would be popular in her class in spite of the Sans' influence."
+
+"So do I. You ask her. Maybe she will change her mind for you." Robin
+looked concernedly to where her cousin sat talking animatedly to Muriel
+and Miss Towne.
+
+The latter, however, had already broached the subject of the picnic to
+Phyllis.
+
+"I am so glad to meet all you girls. Miss Dean suggested coming over on
+account of that picnic for the freshmen," Miss Towne had remarked
+innocently. "I had made up my mind not to go, but she thought I ought to
+and said if I met some other freshmen I would not have to go alone. I
+don't live on the campus so I haven't much opportunity of meeting other
+students."
+
+"I see," nodded Phyllis. A swift tide of color had risen to her cheeks.
+From the instant she had set eyes on Marjorie Dean she had adored her.
+She now felt as though she had been lacking in true college spirit. If
+Marjorie thought Miss Towne should attend the picnic, undoubtedly she
+must think that the rest of the freshmen ought to do likewise.
+
+"I will play especial escort to you at the picnic," she now laughingly
+offered. "I hadn't intended to go either, but I have changed my mind.
+Oh, Marjorie," she called across the room, "I'll take care of Miss Towne
+at the picnic."
+
+"Will you, truly?" The eyes of the two girls met. A silent message was
+exchanged. "Then she will be sure to have a nice time," was what
+Marjorie put into words.
+
+Robin and Marjorie also exchanged sly smiles. Each suspected that humble
+little Miss Towne was responsible for Phyllis's sudden change of mind.
+More, it was apparent that Phyllis had taken one of her sudden likings
+to the unassuming freshman.
+
+Later, Robin found an opportunity to confide to Marjorie that she didn't
+know how it had happened, for Phil was terribly obstinate when once she
+had set her mind against a thing. Nor did Marjorie know until long
+afterward that she had been responsible for a decision on Phyllis's part
+which was the beginning of a warm friendship between Phyllis and Anna
+Towne.
+
+Meanwhile the prospective hostesses of Saturday's outing were spending
+the evening in Leslie Cairns' room squabbling over their plans for the
+picnic. They could not agree on the refreshments, the amusements, or, in
+fact, anything pertaining to the affair. The truth of the matter was
+they were already tired of their beneficent project. They had never made
+a practice of unselfishly trying to please others, and the process bade
+fair to be too difficult for their infinitely small natures.
+
+For once, during the wrangling that went on, Leslie Cairns honestly
+tried to keep her temper. The straw that broke the particular camel's
+back in her case, however, was an extended argument between Dulcie Vale
+and Natalie Weyman regarding the refreshments. These two, with Harriet
+Stephens, had been appointed to look after the luncheon. Harriet lazily
+expressed herself as indifferent to what the menu should be, provided it
+was fit to eat.
+
+"Cut out this scrapping and get down to business, you two," finally
+ordered Leslie in her roughest tones. Followed an insulting rebuke from
+her that brought a flush to both the wranglers' cheeks. When thoroughly
+exasperated Leslie spared no one's feelings. "You decide on what to have
+_right now_ and make a list of it. Trot it over to the Colonial early
+tomorrow morning. If you leave it until even tomorrow night they may
+refuse to handle it. Remember it will take time to pack a luncheon for
+one hundred and twenty-eight persons."
+
+"Dulcie wants to serve a regular six-course dinner out in that neck of
+the woods," sputtered Natalie. "I am not in favor of such extravagance.
+It will cost us enough to have sandwiches, salads, relishes and sweets.
+Then there's coffee, chocolate, and imported ginger ale besides. I am
+not going to spend my whole month's allowance on a feed for those
+greenies."
+
+"If we expect to make an impression on the freshies we ought to do
+things in good style," Dulcie hotly contested. "I don't care how much
+money it costs me. I have plenty of coin. The trouble with you Nat, is
+you're stingy. You buy everything expensive for yourself, but you are
+always broke when it comes to treating."
+
+"I'll never forgive you for that, Dulcie Vale," was Natalie's wrathful
+retort. "I think you are too----"
+
+"That will be _all_," Leslie cut in sternly. "I said cut out the
+scrapping, didn't I? Either do as I say or get out of here. We can run
+the picnic minus either of you. Nat is right for once. Why should we
+spend a fortune on this affair?"
+
+Knowing that Leslie would have no scruples about barring them both from
+further part in the picnic, they sullenly subsided. Dulcie freezingly
+accepted the list of eatables Natalie had made up and temporary peace
+was restored. Natalie bade Leslie a very cool goodnight a little later
+when the session broke up. She was hurt and angry over Leslie's brutal
+frankness. For an instant she wished she might be entirely free of
+Leslie's domineering sway. It was one of those moments when a faint
+stirring of a better nature made her long for harmony and peace. Her
+ignoble side was too greatly in the ascendency however to make her
+distaste for Leslie Cairns and her tyranny more than momentary.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+A RECKLESS DRIVER.
+
+
+"The Sans have certainly had one beautiful day for their picnic, but if
+they don't put in an appearance pretty soon they will be caught in a
+rain." Seated beside Marjorie and Lucy Warner in the big porch swing,
+Jerry squinted at the rapidly clouding sky.
+
+While the day had been warm and moderately sunny, dark clouds had been
+looming up here and there in the sky since four o'clock. Scattered at
+first, they had gradually banked solidly in the west, obscuring the
+sunset and promising rain before nightfall.
+
+"What time is it, Jeremiah?" asked Lucy. "I promised to meet Katherine
+here on the veranda at five-thirty. She left her handbag at Lillian's
+last night and we are going to walk over there before dinner."
+
+"Why, Luciferous!" Jerry fixed Lucy with an amazed eye. "Can I believe
+that you and your precious watch have parted company even for a brief
+half hour!"
+
+Lucy giggled. Her extreme fondness for the wrist watch Ronny had given
+her was well known to her chums.
+
+"I broke the crystal," she confessed. "It dropped from my hand the other
+night on the lavatory floor. I miss it terribly you had better believe.
+It will be fixed tomorrow, thank goodness."
+
+"Surprised at such carelessness. Ahem!" Jerry teased. "If you want to
+know the time, it is twenty-seven minutes past five. Your kindred spirit
+should appear in three minutes."
+
+"Here she comes now." Marjorie had spied Katherine coming up the walk.
+
+"Did you think I was going to be late?" Katherine called from the bottom
+step. "I had an awful time looking up some data at the library. I just
+left there and ran half the way here. It looks like rain, but, if we
+walk fast, we can go over to Wenderblatt's and back before it starts.
+Want to go along, Marjorie and Jerry?"
+
+"I might as well. I've nothing else to do before dinner. Come on,
+Jeremiah. A fast walk before dinner will be a splendid appetizer."
+Marjorie rose from the swing and brushed down her wrinkled linen skirt.
+
+"Don't need an appetizer. I'm famished now. Lead me on. I may lose half
+a pound. That will be something attempted, something done, as our friend
+H. W. Longfellow sagely remarks in the 'Village Blacksmith.'"
+
+Without further lingering the four girls left the veranda and started
+down the drive at a swift walk. The Wenderblatt's residence was not far
+from the campus, but the sky was growing more threatening.
+
+"It begins to look as though we would have to run all the way back to
+the Hall or get a ducking," warned Jerry as they neared Lillian's home.
+"We can't stop to talk, girls. We had better wait for Katherine at the
+gate. If the whole gang of us goes up to the house we will lose time."
+
+"Yes, I want to be back at the Hall for an early dinner. I must study
+like sixty this evening, for I won't have a minute tomorrow. Chapel in
+the morning, and I have promised to go over to Houghton House tomorrow
+afternoon with Leila. Then we are all going to Muriel's and Hortense's
+Sunday night spread. Sunday seems the shortest day in the week,"
+Marjorie ended with a little regretful gesture.
+
+"I'll be back directly." Coming to the high gate of the ornamental iron
+fence which inclosed the professor's property, Katherine clanged it
+hurriedly after her and sped up the walk to the house.
+
+True to her word it was not more than ten minutes before she rejoined
+them, her handbag swinging from her arm.
+
+"Lillian was so sorry you wouldn't come up. She invited us all to dinner.
+I told her we simply must hurry back to the Hall. She----"
+
+A sudden deep rumble of thunder drowned Katherine's speech. It was
+followed by a sharp blinding flash of lightning.
+
+"We had better run for it," counseled Jerry. "There will be more thunder
+and lightning before the rain really starts. Don't let a little thing
+like thunder worry you, children."
+
+By common consent the quartette broke into a gentle run. Soon they were
+on the highway and not more than a block from the campus wall. As they
+neared the east gate a terrific reverberating peal of thunder rent the
+air. So completely did it obliterate all other sound that none of the
+four heard the purr of a motor behind them, driven at excessive speed.
+
+"Look out!" A sense of impending danger warning Jerry to turn her head,
+even in full flight, her voice rose in a sharp scream.
+
+Her friends heard it dimly as the speeding car bore down upon them.
+Jerry made a wild dive out of harm's way, dragging Marjorie, who was
+nearest to her, with her. Lucy, who was on the outer edge of the road
+made a stumbling step backward. Katherine---- Through a mist of horror
+the three girls saw the machine catch her, flinging her off the road.
+They heard cries issue from the black and white roadster as it shot down
+the road.
+
+"Katherine! Oh, do you suppose she is dead?" Already Lucy was kneeling
+on the ground beside the silent form in an agony of suspense. "She was
+almost in the middle of the road. I didn't have time to warn her. I
+didn't hear it until it ran her down." Lucy's face was white and set.
+
+"Her heart's beating." Marjorie knelt at Katherine's other side, her
+hand inside Katherine's pongee blouse. "Better go over her for broken
+bones, Lucy." Marjorie was trembling violently though her voice was
+steady.
+
+"It was Leslie Cairns who did that!" Jerry hotly accused. "I wonder if
+she'll have the decency to come back. She must know she ran some one
+down. I heard the girls in her car scream. I guess she turned in at the
+gate. Keep off the road, girls. Here come the rest of the picnickers.
+One accident is enough for today. She was speeding. That's why she was
+so far ahead of the others. I shall hail this first car and make 'em
+take Katherine up to the Hall."
+
+Jerry did not need to hail the car. In the fading daylight the girl at
+the wheel, who happened to be Margaret Wayne, brought her automobile to
+a stop almost even with the roadside group.
+
+"What has happened?" she called out sharply.
+
+"Your friend Miss Cairns just ran down Miss Langly," returned Jerry
+grimly. "She isn't dead, but we don't know how badly she may be hurt.
+May we have the use of your car to take her to the Hall?"
+
+"Certainly," came the response in frightened tones. Next instant the
+seven occupants of the car had piled out of it and gathered around the
+still unconscious girl.
+
+A swift patter of raindrops struck the group, beating gently on
+Katherine's white, upturned face. Marjorie had now lifted her head to an
+easy position on her lap.
+
+"Have any of you smelling salts?" she inquired calmly of the frightened
+circle, "or perhaps you have a water bottle with you."
+
+"The luncheon things are in one of the cars away back. We have no water
+with us. Won't the rain help to revive her?" Margaret Wayne asked
+lamely.
+
+"We shall not give it time to do that," Marjorie returned dryly. "If you
+will help us lift her we will get her into the car at once. It is only
+two or three minutes' drive to the Hall."
+
+The others of the party being freshmen, they willingly sprang to
+Marjorie's assistance. Raised from the ground, Katherine opened her
+eyes and groaned a little.
+
+"What--happened? Oh, I--remember. My back! It--hurts--so." She closed
+her eyes wearily.
+
+Slender though she was, it became no easy matter to place her in the
+tonneau of the automobile. The credit of the undertaking went to
+Marjorie and Jerry, who exerted their young strength to the utmost for
+their injured friend. By this time a procession of automobiles
+containing the returning picnickers was drawn up along the road. The
+sound of excited voices from within these cars bade Marjorie lose no
+time.
+
+"Will you please drive on before the others come up?" she entreated.
+"They know now that something has happened. We ought not to have a crowd
+around. I hope your passengers won't mind walking to the campus."
+
+"Not a bit of it," assured two or three of the freshmen who had heard
+her remarks.
+
+"Thank you." Marjorie flashed the group of girls one of her beautiful,
+kindly smiles which none of them forgot in a hurry.
+
+Alarmed though she was by the accident, Margaret was half resentful of
+Marjorie's calm manner. Still she had no choice but to do as she was
+requested. She inwardly wished that Leslie had had the prudence to
+drive moderately. This affair was likely to make trouble for them all.
+
+"Ready?" she interrogated, turning in the driver's seat to Marjorie.
+
+An affirmative and she started her car for the Hall. Just at the gate
+they met the black and white roadster. Leslie was its sole occupant now.
+
+"Hello!" she hailed. "Is that you, Margaret? What was the matter back
+there? Do you know?" Leslie leaned far out of her car in the gathering
+twilight.
+
+"Your roadster hit Miss Langly. I don't know how it happened. She is in
+my car. Her friends are with her. You'd better go on down and tell the
+rest what has happened. They have stopped back there."
+
+"What?" This time Leslie's pet interjection came involuntarily and with
+a tinge of fear. "I saw a bunch of girls, but I was sure I didn't hit
+any of them. See you at the Hall." Leslie started her car without
+further words.
+
+"She has nerve!" muttered Jerry. "She thinks she is going to slide out
+of this easily. Well, she can't lay this outrage to anyone else. She had
+no business to be exceeding the speed limit. She never sounded a horn,
+either. Poor Kathie! I hope she isn't badly hurt."
+
+"I--I--am all right, Jerry." Katherine had heard. "The car just brushed
+me; hard--enough to throw me--on my back. That's all."
+
+"That's all," repeated Lucy indignantly. "Enough, I should say. Musn't
+talk much, Kathie. You'll be in your room and in bed right away."
+
+"Glad of it. So--tired," mumbled Katharine, and closed her eyes again.
+
+The injured girl was carried into the Hall just as a driving rain began
+to descend. Miss Remson promptly telephoned for her own physician and
+bustled about, an efficient first aid, until he arrived.
+
+Established temporarily on the living room davenport, Katherine braced
+up wonderfully under the wise little manager's treatment. To her plea
+that she could walk upstairs to her room, if assisted by two of her
+friends, Miss Remson would not listen.
+
+"Wait until the doctor comes, my dear," she insisted. "He will know
+what's best for you."
+
+News of the accident having spread through the Hall, girls hurried from
+all parts of the house to the living room, where they were promptly
+headed off by Lucy, Marjorie and Jerry from intruding upon Katherine.
+Thus far neither the Sans nor the four freshmen who roomed at the Hall
+had put in an appearance.
+
+The arrival of Doctor Thurston, a large, kindly man of about forty, was
+a relief to all concerned. Very gently he lifted Katherine in his
+strong arms and carried her upstairs to her room.
+
+"She has had a narrow escape," he told her anxious friends, a little
+later. "Her back is sprained. It is a wonder it was not broken. Two
+weeks in bed and she will be all right again. Students who drive their
+own cars should go slowly along the campus part of the road. There are
+always girls in plenty on foot. The one who ran her down must have had
+very poor policy not even to sound a horn."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A PAINFUL INTERVIEW.
+
+
+As a result of a private conference among the Lookouts that evening, a
+trained nurse arrived on Sunday afternoon to look after their injured
+friend. Ronny, with her usual magnificent generosity, wished to take the
+expenses for Katherine's care and treatment upon herself. To this her
+chums would not hear. "We all love Kathie," Muriel declared. "I think we
+ought to divide her expenses among us." Lucy Warner was particularly
+pleased with Muriel's proposal. She had earned an extra hundred dollars
+that summer by doing typing in the evenings. She felt, therefore, that
+she held the right to offer a portion of it in the cause of her
+particular friend.
+
+"It seems too bad to go on having good times with poor Kathie so sick,"
+deplored Marjorie, as she and Jerry softly closed the door of the
+latter's room after a brief visit to her following their return from
+Houghton House.
+
+"I know it, but what good will it do us to cut out recreation, so long
+as we can't spend the time with her?" argued Jerry. "We know she is all
+right and going to get well. It isn't as though she wasn't expected to
+live. The nurse said a lot of the girls had come to her door to inquire
+for her. She wouldn't let any of 'em see her. I think the Sans have been
+on the job. They are probably scared for fear Kathie will make it hot
+for Leslie Cairns when she is well again."
+
+"She wouldn't." Marjorie shook her curly head. "Neither would I, if I
+were in her place. It ought to be a lesson to the Sans without any
+further fuss about it. They are the only ones who drive faster than they
+should."
+
+"If Miss Cairns had run down a citizen of the town of Hamilton then
+there would have been a commotion. It is a very good thing for her that
+a traffic officer wasn't around. He would have arrested her, sure as
+fate. I wish one had been on the scene," declared Jerry, with a trace of
+vindictiveness.
+
+That the Sans were manifestly uneasy over the accident was evidenced by
+their gathering in Leslie Cairns' room that afternoon for a confab.
+Leslie herself hid whatever trepidation she was feeling under an air of
+cool bravado. She listened to all that her companions had to say on the
+subject without vouchsafing more than an occasional curt reply.
+
+"Really, Les, you don't seem to understand that you may get into an
+awful mess over running down that beggardly dig!" Joan Myers at length
+exclaimed in sharp irritation. "Suppose the whole thing is put before
+President Matthews or the Board. We may all lose the privilege of having
+our cars at college. I read of a college out west the other day where
+that happened as the result of an accident to a student."
+
+"Oh, forget it!" Leslie waved a derisive hand. "I shall fix things O.K.
+Don't make any mistake about that. I'll send this beggar a whopping old
+basket of fruit tomorrow and a handsome box of flowers. You girls had
+better part with a little change in the same cause. Anyway, I have
+pretty solid ground to stand on. Who is going to prove that I didn't
+sound a horn? It couldn't be heard above the thunder. If I drove fast, I
+had reason for it. Why should I drive my car at a crawl and be caught in
+the storm? Was there a cop around to say I was speeding? There was not.
+I certainly won't ever admit it. It was simply one of those unfortunate
+accidents. So sorry, I'm sure. What?" Leslie finished in a high, mocking
+treble.
+
+It raised a laugh, as she intended it should. Her companions began to
+breathe more freely. Leslie could certainly be relied upon to clear
+herself.
+
+Before evening of the following Monday Katherine's room resembled a
+combination fruit and flower market. Not only the Sans but her real
+friends and impersonal sympathizers also sent in their friendly
+tributes. Her condition much improved, she asked particularly to see
+Marjorie and Lucy Warner.
+
+"Not more than fifteen minutes, please," said the nurse, as the two
+girls tip-toed into the sick room shortly before dinner.
+
+"I wanted to see you so much." Katherine smiled a trifle wanly. "You
+were so good to me when first I was hurt. I remember the whole thing. I
+won't try to talk of that now. Later, when you can stay longer. There is
+something I wish you would do for me. Nurse read me the names of the
+cards on the flowers and fruit. The Sans sent a good deal of it. I--I--"
+a thread of color crept into Katherine's pale cheeks. "I don't want it.
+I can't bear it in the room. I understand them so well. I don't care to
+be harsh, but I would like you to take all of it except a basket of
+fruit and a few flowers and send it to the Hamilton Home for Old Folks.
+It is on Carpenter Street. It would please them so much. I can't eat
+one-tenth of the fruit before it spoils, and you girls don't want it, I
+know. If it is mostly all sent away, then no one can feel hurt, neither
+the Sans nor my real friends. The Sans need not be afraid. I am not
+going to make Miss Cairns any trouble. She has asked twice to see me. I
+shall see her when I am a little stronger and tell her so."
+
+"That is sweet in you, Kathie," Marjorie approved. She referred not only
+to Katherine's lenience of spirit toward Leslie Cairns, but to her
+proposed thoughtful disposal of the fruit and flowers. "I'll ask Leila
+to take your gifts to the old folks in her car tomorrow. I know she will
+be glad to be able to do something for you. I understand how you feel
+about--well--some things. I believe I'd feel the same if I were in your
+place."
+
+"I wanted to be excused from my classes and be your nurse, Kathie," Lucy
+solemnly assured her chum, her green eyes full of devotion. "Ronny said
+'no' that a trained nurse would be best. I miss you dreadfully. Let me
+come and see you every day, won't you?"
+
+"Of course, you dear goose," Katherine assured, her blue eyes misting
+over with sudden tears. It was so wonderful to be loved and missed. "I
+shall not be in bed for two whole weeks. I can sit up a little now and I
+am so strong I shall be walking about the room by the last of this week.
+I am not used to being an invalid and I don't intend to get used to
+being one."
+
+Naturally sturdy of constitution, the end of the ensuing week found
+Katherine able to make little journeys about her room. It was not until
+the Friday following her accident that she felt equal to seeing Leslie
+Cairns. The nurse had informed her on Thursday that Miss Langly would be
+able to see her for a few minutes on Friday afternoon. Leslie
+accordingly cut her last afternoon recitation in order to call on
+Katherine before any of her friends should arrive on the scene.
+
+"Good afternoon," she saluted without enthusiasm, as the nurse admitted
+her to the sick room. Her small dark eyes shrewdly appraised Katherine,
+who was lying on her couch bed clad in a dainty delft blue silk kimono.
+
+"Good afternoon, Miss Cairns," Katherine returned. "Please take the arm
+chair. It is more comfortable than the others."
+
+"Thank you. I can't stay long. I have been trying to see you for the
+last week; ever since your accident, in fact. Glad to see you better. I
+sent you some fruit and flowers. Tried to make you understand that I was
+anxious about you." Leslie paused. Her small stock of politeness was
+already threatening to desert her. She despised Katherine for her
+poverty. Now she disliked her even more because she had injured her.
+
+"I thank you for the fruit and flowers. I asked the nurse to thank you
+for me when I received them. I have met with so many kindnesses since
+I--since I was hurt." Katherine referred to the injury she had received
+through Leslie's recklessness with some hesitancy.
+
+"You understand, don't you, that I wasn't really to blame for your
+accident?" The question was put to Katherine with brusque directness. "I
+was driving a little faster than usual to escape the storm. I was well
+within the speed limit. Remember that. I fail to understand why you
+girls didn't hear my horn. It sounded clearly, even above the storm."
+
+"I did not hear it." Katherine fixed her clear eyes squarely upon the
+other girl. "I heard Jerry scream 'Look out!' and then the car struck
+me."
+
+"Hm! Well, all I can say is you girls should not have been strung across
+the road as you were," was Leslie's bold criticism.
+
+"We were walking only on the half of the road used by cars coming toward
+us," was Katherine's quietly defensive rejoinder. "But it doesn't
+matter, Miss Cairns. I do not intend to make any trouble for you. I hope
+all excitement of the accident has died down before this."
+
+"It will be dropped unless that crowd of girls you go with keep stirring
+it up," retorted Leslie. "I wish you would ask them to let it drop.
+Since you are willing to, why shouldn't they be? I wasn't to blame.
+Start an inquiry and the result will be we'll not be allowed to keep
+our cars at college. That will hit some of your friends as well as
+myself and mine."
+
+"I give you my word that I shall drop the matter. I know my friends have
+no desire to keep it active. I say this in their defense. I cannot allow
+you to misunderstand or belittle their principles."
+
+Katherine spoke with marked stiffness. She could endure Leslie's
+supercilious manner toward herself. When it came to laying the fault at
+the door of her beloved friends--that was not to be borne.
+
+"I'm not in the least interested in your friends. All I want them to do
+is to mind their own business about this accident. If you say they will,
+I look to you to keep your word. If you will accept a money settlement,
+say what you want and I will hand you a check for that amount." Leslie
+made this offer with cool insolence.
+
+"Please don't!" Katherine was ready to cry with weakness and hurt pride.
+"I--won't you look upon the whole affair as though it had not happened?
+Money is the last thing to be thought of."
+
+"Very well; since that is your way of looking at it." Leslie rose. She
+experienced a malicious satisfaction in having thus "taken a rise out of
+the beggar." Her point gained, she was anxious to be gone. "Hope you
+will soon be as well as ever. If you need anything, let me know. I must
+hurry along. I have a very important dinner engagement this evening.
+Goodbye."
+
+She made a hasty exit, without offering her hand in farewell. Katherine
+lay back among her pillows with a long sigh of sheer relief. She felt
+that she could not have endured her caller two minutes longer without
+telling her frankly how utterly she detested her.
+
+Marjorie and Jerry coming cheerily in upon her soon after classes, she
+confided to them the news of Leslie's call.
+
+"The idea," sniffed Jerry. "Wish I had been here. I'd have told Miss
+Bully Cairns where she gets off at. How does she know but that President
+Matthews knows about it already? There were several freshies in her car.
+No doubt they were all her sort or they wouldn't have been with her.
+Look at the freshies in Miss Stephens' car. They were the first on the
+scene and were awfully sweet to us. What would hinder any one of them
+from 'stirring things up' if they disapproved of the way Miss Cairns
+acted? I mean the way she took her time about coming back after she ran
+Katherine down. She had better make the rounds of the college and tell
+everyone to keep quiet about it."
+
+"She knows she is entirely in the wrong," said Marjorie sternly.
+"Further, she has not told the truth. I am sure I would have heard a
+horn if she had sounded one. She was certainly exceeding the speed
+limit, and she did not keep her car to the proper side of the road. So
+long as Katherine wishes the matter dropped, her wish is law in the
+matter."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A VOLUNTEER MESSENGER.
+
+
+While the news of Katherine's injury soon spread about the college, it
+was reported merely as one of those unintentional happenings for which
+no one was actually culpable. The owners of cherished cars were canny
+enough to realize that to capitalize the accident meant jeopardy to
+their privileges. All knew that a certain important college for girls
+had recently banned cars. None were anxious that Hamilton College should
+find cause to do likewise.
+
+There was one person, however, upon whose action no one had reckoned.
+That particular person chanced to be Professor Wenderblatt. As a friend
+of his daughter's and his most brilliant pupil, the professor cherished
+a warm regard for Katherine. One of the freshmen in the car driven by
+Harriet Stephens chanced to be a friend of Lillian's. The latter
+received from her a fairly accurate account of the accident on the
+following Monday. Nor did the freshman fail to place the blame where it
+belonged.
+
+Highly indignant, Lillian regaled her father with the news at dinner on
+Monday evening, declaring that she thought something ought to be done to
+make the Sans stop their reckless driving. Professor Wenderblatt, who
+was bound by no ties of school-girl honor, decided to have a private
+word on the subject with President Matthews. The fact that Katherine had
+just missed having her back broken was serious enough in his belief to
+warrant a reprimand from headquarters to the offenders.
+
+Utterly unaware that she had a zealous, but an undesired defender,
+Katherine returned to her classes after a two weeks' absence apparently
+in good trim. With her re-appearance on the campus the Sans took heart
+again. Leslie had not been summoned to the president's office. Nothing
+had occurred to point to trouble from that direction.
+
+The disastrous ending of the freshman picnic had dampened her ardor for
+electioneering for a few days. Gradually it returned. Aided by Lola
+Elster and Alida Burton, who were eager to please her, Leslie endeavored
+again by means of luncheons, dinners and treats to rally the freshmen to
+Elizabeth Walbert's banner. Certain wise freshmen, however, had
+discovered for themselves Phyllis Moore's many good qualities. They
+intended to nominate her and proceeded to root energetically for her.
+This contingent had not been pleased with the patronizing manner which
+the Sans had displayed towards them at the picnic. They were altogether
+too independent and honorable to barter their class vote for a mess of
+pottage.
+
+"Freshie election this afternoon," announced Jerry, as she caught up
+with Marjorie on the steps of the Hall. "Saw you half way across the
+campus. You might as well have been ten miles away. I trilled but you
+didn't hear me. I'll bet that election will be a brisk and busy affair."
+
+"I didn't hear you trill. I saw you just as I started up the walk. I
+hear Phil has quite strong support. It would be great if she'd win after
+all the fuss the Sans have made over Miss Walbert."
+
+"She says she won't," was Jerry's disappointing reply. "She thinks over
+half the class will vote for Miss Walbert. If they do I shall be sore
+enough at them to stay away from the freshman frolic."
+
+"There's to be a class meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss that very
+frolic. Did you see the notice yesterday?"
+
+"Yep. Nothing gets by me that I happen to see. I saw that," Jerry made
+humorous reply. "I suppose it is up to us to do the agreeable this year,
+also the decorating."
+
+"Also the gallant escort act. Oh, my!" Marjorie exclaimed in sudden
+consternation. "Something important nearly got by me. I promised Miss
+Humphrey this noon to give Lucy a message from her. Her secretary is
+sick and she needs someone for a few days. She is away behind in her
+letters. Goodbye. I'll see you later."
+
+Marjorie promptly disappeared into the house in search of Lucy. Her
+quest proved fruitless. Lucy was not in her own room or with any of the
+other Lookouts. Katherine was also not at home, which pointed to the
+fact that the two had gone somewhere together.
+
+"They're at Lillian's," guessed Marjorie. "I had better walk over to
+Hamilton Hall and tell Miss Humphrey I haven't seen Lucy," was her next
+thought. "She may be waiting for her."
+
+It was not more than five minutes' walk across the campus to the Hall.
+Marjorie ran part of the way and bounded up the steps of the building,
+breathless and rosy.
+
+"It was kind in you to take so much trouble, Miss Dean," Miss Humphrey
+said gratefully, as Marjorie explained Lucy's non-appearance.
+
+"It was no trouble at all. I will surely see Miss Warner tonight. I wish
+there was something I could do to help you. I'm afraid I'd make a very
+poor secretary." Marjorie smiled at her own lack of secretarial ability.
+
+"There is a service you can do for me. May I ask, have you anything
+particular to do before dinner? Something occurred today in the routine
+of the business of the college which makes it necessary for me to send a
+note to Doctor Matthews or else go over to his home to see him at once.
+He has not been at the Hall today, and I feel that I should not let this
+matter go over until tomorrow without, at least, sending word to him. I
+can't go myself. My work will keep me here until after six. Then I have
+a meeting on hand tonight. If you will take a note for me to the Doctor,
+I shall be eternally grateful."
+
+"I'd love to," Marjorie responded heartily.
+
+"That is truly a weighty matter off my mind," smiled the registrar.
+Immediately she busied herself with the writing of the note to be
+intrusted to Marjorie.
+
+"There will be no answer," she said to Marjorie, when, fifteen minutes
+later, she handed the letter to the willing messenger. "If Doctor
+Matthews is not in, leave it with a member of the family. Please don't
+intrust it to the maid. If it should happen that no one is at home, then
+you had better come back with it to my office."
+
+"Very well." Feeling quite at home with Miss Humphrey, whom she had
+liked on sight, Marjorie drew herself up and saluted. "That is the way I
+do at home," she laughed. "My mother is Captain to me and my father
+General. I'm First Lieutenant Dean. I'll endeavor to carry out your
+order like a good soldier." Wheeling about with military precision,
+Marjorie saluted again and left the office. The registrar watched her go
+with a smile. She reflected that she had never known so beautiful a girl
+as Marjorie to be so utterly unspoiled.
+
+Doctor Matthews' residence was situated at the extreme western end of
+the campus. Although Marjorie had passed it many times, she had never
+before had occasion to go there. She had never met the president of
+Hamilton College personally, and since she had known of Miss Remson's
+grievance she had experienced a certain loss of respect for him. She was
+therefore indifferent as to whether she delivered the letter to him or
+to a member of the family.
+
+As she mounted the steps to his home, which looked like a smaller
+edition of Wayland Hall, the front door opened and a young woman stepped
+out upon the veranda. She was a tall thin girl with pale blue eyes and
+straight heavy brown hair. Her features non-descript, her entire make-up
+was colorless rather than interesting. As the two girls passed each
+other on the veranda, the tall girl cast a sharp glance at Marjorie. A
+close observer would have characterized it as distinctly unfriendly.
+Marjorie was not even aware of it. Her mind was not on the stranger.
+
+"Is Doctor Matthews at home?" she courteously inquired of the maid who
+answered her ring.
+
+"Yes, Miss. Who shall I say wishes to see him. Have you an appointment
+with him?"
+
+"No. I have a letter for him from Miss Humphrey, the registrar. She has
+requested me to deliver it personally."
+
+"Please come in. I will tell the doctor." The maid disappeared into a
+room at the right of the colonial hall. Quickly returning, she said: "In
+there, Miss." She pointed to the door which she had left partially open.
+
+The president was seated at a flat-topped mahogany desk. He rose as
+Marjorie entered and came forward to meet her.
+
+"Good afternoon," he greeted, in the deep, pleasant voice which made his
+addresses a delight to the ear. "Norah tells me you have a note for me
+from Miss Humphrey."
+
+"Good afternoon," Marjorie returned. "Here is the note. Miss Humphrey
+said there would be no answer." She half turned as though to depart.
+
+"Just a moment." The doctor was regarding her with keen but friendly
+eyes. "You are not of the clerical force at Hamilton Hall. Let me think.
+You are a sophomore, are you not?" He asked the question triumphantly,
+smiling as he spoke.
+
+"Yes; I am a sophomore." Marjorie's brown eyes held polite amazement.
+
+"I am very proud of my memory for faces," Doctor Matthews continued. "I
+rarely forget a face, though I do not always remember names. You were
+one of the freshman ushers at Commencement last June. Now you have come
+into sophomore estate. How do you like it?"
+
+"Better than being a freshman." It was Marjorie's turn to smile. "I am
+so much better acquainted with Hamilton College now. I am sure there
+isn't another college in the world half so fine." She blossomed into
+involuntary enthusiasm. "Mr. Brooke Hamilton must have been a wonderful
+man. He planned everything here so nobly."
+
+"He was, indeed, a man of noble character and true spirituality. I would
+rather be president of Hamilton College than any other college I have
+ever visited or been connected with. I revere the memory of Brooke
+Hamilton. It is unfortunate we know so little of him. His great-niece,
+Miss Susanna Hamilton, lives at Hamilton Arms. She is the last of the
+Hamilton family. Unfortunately for the college, she became incensed at
+the churlish behavior toward her of a member of the Board whose estate
+adjoined hers. This was many years ago. She had been on the verge of
+turning over to the college a great deal of interesting data regarding
+Brooke Hamilton which was private family history. Doctor Burns, then
+president of Hamilton, was to write the biography of the lovable founder
+of our college. After the falling-out with the Board member she refused
+to give up the data. Since then she has ignored the college. Brooke
+Hamilton's biography yet remains to be written."
+
+"A case of the innocent having to suffer with the guilty," Marjorie
+said, her eyes very bright. She was privately exultant to have learned
+this bit of news of the Hamiltons. She had heard that the last of the
+Hamiltons, a woman, lived at Hamilton Arms. Leila had told her a little
+concerning the present owner of the Hamilton estate.
+
+After a few further remarks on the subject of Hamilton College, she
+gracefully took her leave. As she stepped from the hall to the veranda,
+she encountered the same young woman she had met on her way into the
+house. This time the girl was seated in one of the porch rockers. Her
+eyes, as they fixed themselves on Marjorie, looked more unfriendly than
+ever. Marjorie caught the hostile import of this second prolonged stare.
+
+"What a hateful face that girl had," she thought, as she continued down
+the walk. "I don't recall ever having seen _her_ before. I'd certainly
+have remembered that face. Perhaps she's a relative of Doctor Matthews.
+She seems to be quite at home."
+
+Returned to Wayland Hall, Marjorie's first act was to go to Lucy's room
+to give her Miss Humphrey's message. This time she found Lucy in but
+alone.
+
+"Where's Ronny?" she inquired, after she had explained to Lucy the
+registrar's present difficulty, "I haven't seen her except at meals for
+two days."
+
+"She's out with Leila and Vera waiting for the election returns. They
+are anxious to find out if Phil won."
+
+"Hope she did," was Marjorie's fervent wish. "You can never guess in a
+thousand years to whom I was talking this afternoon."
+
+"I'm a poor guesser. You'd better tell me," Lucy said in her concise
+fashion.
+
+"All right, I will. It was President Matthews." Lucy's greenish eyes
+turning themselves on her in astonishment, Marjorie laughed, then went
+on to relate the circumstances.
+
+Lucy listened with the profound interest of a wise young owl. "What do
+you think of him?" she asked reflectively, when Marjorie had finished.
+"Does he seem the kind of man that would do a person an injustice? I'm
+thinking of Miss Remson now."
+
+"I thought of her, too, while I was in his office," Marjorie responded.
+"No; he doesn't appear to be anything but broad-minded and just. Still,
+we mustn't forget that his name was signed to that letter."
+
+"Did you see his secretary?" Lucy quizzed. "She is over at his house some
+of the time. He is usually at Hamilton Hall until one o'clock in the
+afternoon, then he goes home. I understand he transacts a good deal of
+college business at his home office."
+
+"I didn't see anyone but the maid who answered the door and the
+president. Oh, I'll take that back. I saw a girl coming out of the house
+as I was going up the steps. When I came out I saw her again. She was
+sitting on the veranda. She had such a disagreeable expression. I
+noticed it particularly the second time I saw her."
+
+"Describe her," Lucy tersely commanded.
+
+Marjorie complied, giving a fairly good description of the stranger.
+
+"That girl----" Lucy paused impressively, "is the president's
+secretary."
+
+"Really?" Marjorie's brown eyes opened to their widest extent.
+
+"Yes; really. I told Miss Remson the morning we were in her office that
+I intended to find out all I could about Doctor Matthews' secretary. I
+have not found out anything much about her except that she is not a
+student. But I have seen her. Kathie knows her by sight. She pointed her
+out to me one afternoon. We passed her on the campus. She was going
+toward Doctor Matthews' house. I did not like her looks. I feel that she
+was at the bottom of Miss Remson's trouble and it would not surprise me
+to learn that she is in with the Sans. Unfortunately I have no way of
+proving it. I believe it, just the same."
+
+"There was something queer about that whole affair," Marjorie agreed.
+"You remember Helen said that, if the Sans were insolent and
+supercilious when they came back to the Hall, it would mean they had had
+information beforehand and were sure of their ground. Well, they were
+very much like that. They acted as though they owned the Hall.
+
+"I noticed that, for I watched them particularly. I think Miss Sayres,
+that's the secretary's name, is the one who helped them. I hope some day
+to be able to prove it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE RENDEZVOUS.
+
+
+The noisy entrance into the room of Muriel, Jerry, Leila, Vera and
+Ronny, with the disappointing news that Phyllis had lost the freshman
+presidency by only nine votes, broke up the confidential session.
+
+"We went to our room first but you were not to be seen. Thought you'd be
+here. Last I saw of you you had started on a hunt for Lucy. Isn't it a
+shame about the election? To think that Walbert snip won!" Jerry
+elevated her nose in utter disapproval. "Won't the Sans crow? They will
+blow her off to dinners and spreads for a week to come. I hope she gets
+an awful case of indigestion."
+
+"How very cruel you are, Jeremiah." Nevertheless, Ronny laughed with the
+others. Jerry's hopes for the downfall of her enemies were usually
+energetic and sweeping.
+
+"I can be a lot more cruel than that," she boasted. "It made me tired to
+hear those sillies had elected that girl to the class presidency. Glad
+I'm not a freshie. They will rue it before the year is up. Phil's
+supporters are as mad as hops."
+
+Many of the upper-class girls shared Jerry's opinion. The Sans' open
+championship of Elizabeth Walbert had excited unfavorable comment on the
+campus. While the upper-class students aimed to be helpful elder sisters
+to the freshmen, college etiquette forbade a too-marked interest in
+freshman affairs. The Sans had over-reached themselves and were bound to
+come in for adverse criticism in college circles where tradition was
+still respected.
+
+The Sans, however, were oblivious to everything save the fact that they
+had gained their point. Leslie Cairns was radiant over the victory and
+gave an elaborate dinner that evening at the Colonial in honor of
+Elizabeth. Besides the Sans, Alida Burton and Lola Elster, twenty-two
+freshmen were invited. She engaged the restaurant for the evening and
+spared no pains and expense to make the dinner what she termed "a
+howler."
+
+Following on the heels of her triumph strode calamity. The mail next
+morning brought her a letter which lashed her into a furious rage. It
+was a terse summons to appear at Doctor Matthews' office at eleven
+o'clock that morning. More, the four lines comprising it had been
+penned, not typed. Her instant surmise was that the summons had to do
+with the recent accident of Katherine Langly. She could think of no
+other reason for it, unless--Leslie turned pale. There was another
+reason, but she preferred not to give it mind room. She boldly decided
+that she would ignore the letter that morning. She would receive a
+second summons. It would be easy enough to assert that she had not
+received a first. This would give her time to see a certain person and
+perhaps gain an inkling of what was in the wind.
+
+An interview with the "certain person" yielded nothing. That person was
+unable to throw light upon the reason for the summons. Two days elapsed,
+then Leslie received a second communication too austere to be
+disregarded. She went to the president's office in considerable
+trepidation and emerged from it an hour later, her heavy features set in
+anger. Undertaking to assume her usual nonchalant pose, she had been
+brought with alarming suddenness to a wholesome respect for Doctor
+Matthews' dignity. She had also received a lecture on reckless driving
+which she was not likely to forget.
+
+"While it seems unfair to deprive students who are careful drivers of
+the privilege of using their automobiles at college, simply because
+careless young women like you will not conform to the traffic
+conditions, it will come to that." Doctor Matthews was a study in cold
+severity as he made this threatening statement. "I shall take drastic
+measures if another accident occurs as a result of speeding or reckless
+driving on the part of a student. I have been informed, Miss Cairns,
+that you are in the habit of exceeding the speed limit. It is a
+particularly dangerous proceeding on the highways adjacent to the
+college on account of the number of students who make a practice of
+walking. Referring to the accident to Miss Langly. What restitution
+could you have made if her back had been permanently injured? There is
+nothing more pitiful than a helpless invalid. Remember that and see that
+you are not the one to cause lifelong unhappiness or death by an act of
+sheer lawlessness. Let this be the last offense of this kind on your
+part."
+
+Thus the president concluded his arraignment. Leslie left Hamilton Hall
+with but one flaming purpose. She would be even with the person or
+persons who had reported her to the president. Suspicion instantly
+pointed out "that Sanford crowd." She gave Katherine clearance of it,
+strange to say. She preferred to lay the blame at either the door of
+Marjorie or Jerry. Yet she had dark suspicions of Leila and Vera. Then
+there were the freshmen who had been in Harriet Stephens' car. Harriet
+had told her that they were in sympathy with Katherine's crowd. Whoever
+was to blame would suffer for it. On that point she was determined.
+
+Shortly after her return to Wayland Hall, she resolved to cut her
+classes that day. Leslie received a telephone call. It was not
+unexpected. She had notified the maid that she would be in her room in
+case she should be called on the 'phone. Her sullen features cleared a
+trifle as she listened to the voice at the other end of the wire.
+
+"All right," she said in guarded tones. The students had already begun
+to drop in from the last recitations of the morning. "Nine o'clock
+sharp. I'll walk. I'm not going to take chances of attracting attention.
+Yes, I know where you mean. It's not far from Baretti's. Don't fail me.
+Goodbye."
+
+On her way to her room she encountered Natalie. "Come with me," she said
+shortly.
+
+"Where were you this morning?" Natalie asked. "Professor Futelle was
+awfully fussed about absentees. Eight girls cut French today."
+
+"Where was I? I was in bad, I'll say. What? Well, I guess. I got a
+second summons this A. M. I couldn't side-step it. His high and
+mightiness had the whole story of the accident from some tattle-tale. He
+wouldn't give me a chance to say a word hardly. One more break in the
+speeding line and our cars go home for good. He certainly laid down the
+law to me. I've a mind to tell you something else." Leslie paused before
+the door of her room, hand on the knob.
+
+"What is it? You know I never tell tales, Les." Natalie eyed the other
+girl reproachfully. "That's more than you can say of your other pals."
+
+"You are right about that, Nat," Leslie conceded. She motioned Natalie
+into the room and closed the door. "Laura says she knows who told Doctor
+Matthews. I'm to meet her tonight. Keep that dark. I don't want a person
+besides you to know it. I'm to meet her behind that clump of lilac
+bushes the other side of Baretti's. You know; where that old house was
+torn down."
+
+Natalie nodded. She was inwardly jubilant at having thus been given
+Leslie's confidence. It was quite like old times. "Have you any idea who
+told?" she questioned, trying to hide her gratification under an air of
+calm interest.
+
+"No. I'm positive it wasn't Langly. She gave me her word that she would
+drop the whole thing. A goody-goody dig like her would not break it.
+I'll tell you as soon as I come back. Come here at ten. I shall not be
+later than ten-fifteen. I intend to put up a 'Busy' sign tonight so as
+to keep the girls out of here before I start. They know better than to
+try to get by it, too."
+
+At precisely twenty minutes to nine that evening Leslie took the "Busy"
+placard from her door and locking it proceeded to the rendezvous. She
+had put on a long dark motor coat and a black velour sports hat. The
+instant she had left the Hall's premises behind her she pulled the hat
+low over her face and broke into a run. An expert tennis player, she was
+swift and nimble of foot. Only once she paused, stepping behind a
+thicket of rhododendron bushes until a party of girls returning from
+town passed by. Once off the campus, she kept to the darker side of the
+road and was soon at the designated spot.
+
+Her brisk run had brought her to the meeting place ahead of time. It was
+five minutes before the faint sound of a footfall among the fallen
+leaves rewarded her small stock of patience. Leslie's hand sought the
+pocket of her coat. A tiny stream of white light outlined the figure now
+very close to her. Instantly she snapped off the light with a soft
+ejaculation of satisfaction.
+
+"You should not have turned that light on me," objected the other dark
+figure rather pettishly. "We might be seen from the road."
+
+"Not a soul passing," Leslie assured. "I was not going to take chances
+of hailing the wrong party."
+
+"Please remember that I have to be even more careful than you. No one
+must ever be allowed to suspect that we know each other." Laura Sayres
+spoke with cool precision.
+
+"Is that what you came all the way here to tell me?" Leslie gave a
+short laugh. It announced that she was on the verge of being unpleasant.
+
+"Of course it isn't." Laura prudently retreated from her lofty stand.
+While she enjoyed grumbling, she was too cowardly at heart to venture to
+do more. "I couldn't say a word over the 'phone today. I will tell you
+now and quickly for I have a long walk home and the road is quite lonely
+in places."
+
+"Sorry I couldn't bring my car, but I didn't dare," carelessly
+apologized Leslie. She divined that Laura was somewhat peeved because
+she had not.
+
+"Oh, it doesn't matter. Now I don't know just how much this information
+will be worth to you--" Miss Sayres paused. "I can only--"
+
+"Give it to me and I'll do the square thing by you." Leslie frowned in
+the darkness.
+
+"Oh, I don't mean in money," weakly defended Miss Sayres. "I mean that
+it's circumstantial. You must form your own opinion from what I tell
+you."
+
+"I understand." Leslie quite understood that despite the secretary's
+protest she was not above being mercenary. "Go ahead."
+
+"Last Tuesday afternoon about five o'clock I was just starting for home
+from Doctor Matthews' house, when who should come marching up the walk
+but Miss Dean," related Laura. "I wondered what brought her there. As
+soon as the maid let her in I turned and went back. I had made up my
+mind to wait around until she came out. I have a key to the front door
+now. One day when college first opened the doctor sent me over to the
+house for some papers he needed. No one was at home and I had to go back
+to Hamilton Hall without them. He had a key made for me right after
+that. You see I occupy a position of trust. No wonder I have to be
+careful."
+
+"I see; but what about Miss Dean?" Leslie promptly switched the
+secretary back to her original subject.
+
+"I am coming to that. I decided after I got as far as the veranda to let
+myself into the house. I supposed Miss Dean had come to see the doctor.
+The minute I stepped inside I heard voices. The door of the office was
+open just a little. I did not dare stand in the hall so I slipped into
+the living room. It is directly opposite the office. I couldn't
+understand a word Miss Dean said, but I heard the doctor say he was
+incensed at the behavior of someone, and that they would have to come
+before the Board. Then he said that if someone, I couldn't find out who,
+refused to do something or other, she would have to leave college. It
+remained for him to write her.
+
+"I heard Miss Dean say very plainly: 'It is a case of the innocent
+having to suffer with the guilty.' They talked a little more, but both
+lowered their voices. I heard the doctor's chair turn and knew he was
+going to get up from it. I made the quickest move I ever made and slid
+out the door. I had left it a little open. Sure enough, in a minute or
+two Miss Dean came out of the house and went away."
+
+"I think that's pretty good proof against the foxy little wretch."
+Leslie's voice was thick with wrath. She was still smarting from the
+morning's humiliation. "I wish I could tell you how I hate that little
+sneak. I'll get back at her, believe me."
+
+"I certainly would, if I were you. Just to be on the safe side I went
+into the house and stopped at the office door. I said, 'If you have
+nothing more for me to do I will go now, Doctor Matthews.' I thought
+perhaps he would ask me to write the letter he had spoken of. Not he. He
+said: 'No, thank you, Miss Sayres. You need not have waited.' So I had
+no excuse to stay."
+
+"That's another proof. The letter he sent me was penned. You have picked
+the culprit, all right enough. I have an idea I know how to deal with
+her." Leslie threatened in an excess of spite. "One thing more and then
+we must beat it. Do you believe that Remson affair will ever leak out?
+I shiver every time I think of it. That was a bold stroke."
+
+"It doesn't worry me. I know enough about Miss Remson to know she will
+keep far away from Doctor Matthews after the letter she received from
+him. The one he received from her, after she had been over to see him,
+made him think she had had a heart-to-heart talk with you girls and
+you'd all promised to do differently. He wouldn't interfere after that.
+Unless they should happen to meet, which isn't likely, matters will stay
+as they are. I destroyed the letter supposed to be from Miss Remson. The
+doctor told me to file it, but if he ever asked for it I would pretend
+not to be able to find it. He wouldn't remember what she wrote. While I
+am his secretary I can manage the affair. As time passes it will be
+forgotten. Doctor Matthews would not mention it if he happened to meet
+Miss Remson. That's not his way."
+
+"Glad to hear it. It lifts a weight from my mind. I've only one more
+year at Hamilton after this. My father expects me to be graduated with
+honor. He would never forgive me if I were to be expelled from Hamilton
+at this late date." Leslie was moved out of her usual indifferent pose.
+Fear of exposure gripped her hard at times.
+
+"Better let this Miss Dean alone," was Laura's succinct advise. "I hear
+she is very popular on the campus. She looks independent enough to take
+up for herself. Be careful she doesn't turn the tables on you as she did
+last spring."
+
+"Not this time. She won't like my methods, but she won't be able to
+prove that they are mine. In fact she won't know where to place the
+blame."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+FAIR PLAY AND NO FAVORS.
+
+
+Phyllis Moore accepted her defeat with the easy grace which was hers.
+Her freshman supporters were not so ready to give in. They gave up the
+ghost with marked displeasure. Forty-five members of the class had voted
+for her. They had shown open and hearty disapproval of Elizabeth
+Walbert. The other three officers were more to their liking, but the
+Sans' electioneering had left a rift in the freshman lute which promised
+plenty of discord later on. Though every member of the class had
+attended the picnic as a matter of courtesy, the finer element had been
+privately weary of the affair before the afternoon was over. The Sans'
+efforts to mould the freshmen to their views merely resulted in
+amalgamating stray groups to one solid formation. A fact they were
+presently to discover.
+
+The election of officers had occurred much later than was the rule. The
+excitement attendant upon it had hardly died out before the freshman
+frolic loomed large on their horizon. With the sophomore class almost
+entirely free from snobbish influences, the dance promised to be an
+occasion of undiluted enjoyment. The humbler freshmen off the campus
+were the first to receive invitations from the sophs. Those sophs who
+still clung to the Sans were only a handful. The freshies of Elizabeth
+Walbert's faction found that the majority of them would be without
+special escort unless the juniors or seniors came to their rescue.
+
+Rallied to duty by Alida Burton and Lola Elster, the Sans magnanimously
+stepped into the breach. They, in turn, brought certain of their junior
+and senior allies to the aid of the escortless. It was a sore point,
+however, among a number of freshmen who had voted for Miss Walbert that
+the sophomores had passed them by for mere off-the-campus students. It
+served as a quiet lesson by which a few of them afterward profited.
+
+Eager to regain her lost laurels, Natalie Weyman was insistent that Lola
+and Alida should ask the entertainment committee to give another Beauty
+contest.
+
+"What do you take me for?" was Lola's derisive reply when Natalie asked
+her for the third time to try to bring the contest about. "I'd just as
+soon ask Prexy Matthews to dye his hair pink as to ask those snippies to
+give a Beauty parade. Kiss yourself good-bye, Nat. You didn't win it
+last year. Nuff said."
+
+Whereupon Natalie took pains to confide to anyone who would listen to
+her that she thought Lola Elster the rudest, slangiest person she had
+ever had the misfortune to meet.
+
+Marjorie could not recall a festivity for which she had worked hard
+beforehand and enjoyed more than the preparation for the freshman hop.
+Going to the woods to gather the spicy, fragrant pine boughs and
+gorgeous armfuls of autumn leaves and scarlet mountain ash berries for
+decorations was purest pleasure. No less did she revel in the hours
+spent in beautifying the gymnasium in honor of the baby class. Everyone
+concerned in the labor was so good-natured and jolly that an atmosphere
+of harmony permeated the big room and hovered over it on the night of
+the frolic.
+
+Even the Sans appeared to imbibe a little of that genial atmosphere and
+behaved at the frolic with less arrogance than was their wont when
+appearing socially. Leslie Cairns alone of them flatly refused to be
+present. She wheedled Joan Myers into escorting Elizabeth Walbert to the
+dance and remained in her room in a magnificent fit of sulks. She was
+too greatly inflamed against Marjorie to endure going where she would be
+in close touch with her for an evening. She therefore amused herself
+that evening in planning the cherished move she intended to make against
+Marjorie.
+
+"Perhaps I ought not say it, but I had a good deal better time tonight
+than at the frolic last year," Muriel confided to her chums between
+yawns. Discipline being lax they had gathered in Ronny's and Lucy's room
+after the dance for a cup of hot chocolate and sweet crackers.
+
+"I know I had," emphasized Marjorie. "Everyone seemed to go in for a
+good time tonight."
+
+"The Sans unbent a little, didn't they?" commented Jerry. "That was
+because their boss stayed away. Those girls might become civilized in
+time without Leslie Cairns on the job."
+
+"They were a little more gracious," agreed Ronny. "I don't know how the
+rest of you feel about it. I am glad the frolic is over. I am tired. We
+have been stirred up ever since we came back to college. First over Miss
+Remson's trouble. Next came the Sans' move to grab all the freshmen.
+Then Kathie's accident, and after that the commotion over the freshie
+election. We were all keyed up to quite a pitch over that on account of
+Phil. Now the dance is over. What next? Nothing, I fondly hope. I am
+going to lead the student life, provided I am allowed to do it."
+
+"You forget basket ball," reminded Muriel.
+
+"I am going to try to forget it," retorted Ronny so wearily that her
+tone elicited a chorus of giggles. "I don't play the game, thank my
+stars!"
+
+"I shall, if I have a chance," Muriel asserted. "How about you,
+Marjorie?"
+
+"I am going to try for a place on the team this year," Marjorie
+announced in a purposeful manner. "I hope we get a fair try-out. I
+really want to play. I like Professor Leonard's appearance. Helen had
+quite a long talk with him the other day. He is a seasoned basket ball
+player. He played center on a western college team the whole four years
+of his college course. He is going to arrange for a series of try-outs
+to be held next week. He thinks each class ought to have its own team.
+The seniors never play, though."
+
+"Since those are his sentiments, they sound as if he were strictly on
+the square," approved Jerry. "I mean, he is a real basket-ball
+enthusiast. The real ones won't stand for unfairness."
+
+"Miss Reid will be a cipher in b. b. plans this year and I am good and
+glad of it," exulted Muriel. "Professor Leonard looks to me like a
+person who wouldn't show favoritism. He certainly has lots of the right
+kind of energy."
+
+Muriel's opinion of the young professor of physical culture proved
+correct. On Monday following the freshman dance, a notice appeared on
+the official bulletin board stating that on Tuesday, Wednesday,
+Thursday and Friday afternoon of that week basket-ball try-outs for
+freshman, sophomore, junior and senior teams, respectively, would be
+held at four-thirty o'clock in the gymnasium. It bore the pertinent
+signature: "James Leonard, Director Athletics and Gymnasium."
+
+Freshmen and sophomores hailed it with delight. The juniors were not so
+enthusiastic, though it was noised about that there would be a junior
+team composed of Sans, if they could manage to make it. The seniors from
+the height of their dignity smiled tolerantly but refused to commit
+themselves.
+
+Determined to be in touch with the game from the very beginning, Muriel,
+Jerry and Marjorie attended the freshman try-out. Ronny begged off on
+account of a chemical experiment she was anxious to make. Lucy declared,
+that, if she attended the sophomore try-out on Tuesday she considered
+that a sufficiency of basket ball.
+
+Under the expert and impartial direction of Professor Leonard, the
+freshman try-out was conducted with a snap and precision which left
+nothing to be desired in the minds of those students who had yearned for
+fair play. It brought confusion to a certain clique of freshmen, headed
+by Elizabeth Walbert, who had reckoned on some of their particular
+friends carrying off the honors and being appointed to the team. The
+despatch with which the aspirants were made up into squads and tried
+out against each other was a joy to witness. The energetic director
+weeded out the defective players in short order. His searching eyes
+missed not a movement, clever or bungling. The five girls finally picked
+to play on the official freshman team were a survival of the fittest.
+Among them was Phyllis Moore. Further, she was given the position of
+center and roundly complimented by the director for what he termed her
+"whirlwind" playing. This triumph pleased boyish Phyllis far more than
+winning the class presidency could have done. Barbara Severn, the
+Baltimore freshie, who Marjorie had looked out for on her arrival at
+Hamilton, won the position of right guard, and was also praised for her
+work.
+
+Once the team was chosen the director put them through fifteen minutes
+of snappy play. Their fast and nimble work elicited rousing cheers from
+the large audience of students who had dropped in to witness the
+try-out.
+
+"Isn't it great that both Phil and Barbara won?" bubbled Robin Page.
+Half a dozen Silverton Hall girls had joined Marjorie's group after the
+try-out, preparatory to giving the successful aspirants a special
+ovation as soon as they should leave the floor. "Phil and Barbara are
+awfully chummy, so they'll be pleased to the skies."
+
+"I think they are a great combination," returned Jerry. "They are our
+catches. We hooked them when we went freshie fishing. I like the way
+they look after Anna Towne, too. She is lucky to have them for pals."
+
+"Phil is very fond of her, you know," smiled Robin, "and Barbara is a
+dear. She is a real Southern aristocrat. She has the gentlest, kindest
+ways and the sweetest voice! She and Phil are the really great hopes of
+the freshman class, I think."
+
+"You know what the Bible says about the little leaven leavening the
+whole lump." Jerry spoke with sudden seriousness. "Maybe Phil and
+Barbara will turn out to be the particular kind of leaven the freshies
+need. I suppose they wouldn't feel especially complimented at being
+classed as a 'lump,' but then what they don't hear will never hurt
+them," she added, her serious face breaking into its irresistible little
+grin.
+
+"I only hope we do as well tomorrow as Phil and Barbara," Muriel said
+irrelevently, her brown eyes fixed in some trepidation on the alert
+director. "That man's eyes seem to be everywhere at once. Nothing gets
+by him."
+
+"We will have to hustle if we expect recognition from him, I know that.
+There are some fine players among the sophs, too. You know how well that
+team chosen after the fuss with Miss Reid could play. I think Robin is
+a better player than I," Marjorie turned to Robin with a smile.
+
+"No, siree! I have heard marvelous reports of your playing," differed
+Robin with energy.
+
+"You have a bitter disappointment ahead of you tomorrow then," retorted
+Marjorie. "You'll probably see me relegated to the scrub, sub or dub
+class."
+
+"I prophesy all three of you modest violets will make the team. The real
+exhibition will be on Thursday afternoon. The strenuous Sans and the
+dictatorial director; or, what's the use without Miss Reid? They will
+learn a few points of the game before he gets through with them. I
+wouldn't miss that try-out for a good deal." Jerry was deriving an
+impish satisfaction from the prospect of the Sans' encounter to come
+with Professor Leonard.
+
+The next afternoon brought a large and interested audience to the
+gymnasium. Robin Page had many well wishers in all three of the upper
+classes. Leila and Vera also headed a goodly company who were anxious to
+see Marjorie and Muriel make the team. The Sans came in a body to cheer
+Lola Elster and Alida Burton on to victory. They had attended the
+freshman try-out and seen a team selected which contained not one of
+their allies. They had also learned that Professor Leonard was not to be
+deceived for an instant. Only the fairest kind of fair play would be
+acceptable to him. Leslie Cairns was confident that Lola Elster would
+make the sophomore team. Of the skill of her junior chums as players she
+was openly doubtful. She rudely hooted at their avowed intention to
+enter the lists.
+
+"You girls are punk players, one and all. Why make simpletons of
+yourselves tomorrow?" she inquired of Joan and Natalie. "You need at
+least a month's drill to put you in trim. Proffy Smarty Alec will chase
+you off the floor."
+
+"You're so hateful, Les," bitterly complained Joan. "We stand as good a
+chance as can be at the junior try-out. I happen to know that we Sans
+are almost the only juniors who are going to try for the team. Some of
+us will be picked. He's a fine coach. He will soon put our team in good
+form."
+
+"Go to it and be happy," Leslie laughed. "You will so enjoy being ragged
+every three minutes by that conceited tyrant. I am not going to throw
+cold water on your fond hopes, but don't cry if he can't see you as a
+junior team."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+"GENERAL" CAIRNS TO THE RESCUE.
+
+
+The series of try-outs, plus the directorship of Professor Leonard,
+caused basket ball interest to soar to exceptional heights. The
+sophomore try-outs brought even a larger number of students to the scene
+than did the freshman test. About thirty-five sophs essayed to make the
+team. None of the aspirants could be classed as poor players, and it
+took the approving director a trifle longer than at the previous try-out
+to pick the team.
+
+Muriel was among the first two fives to be called to the floor. Always
+to be depended upon in bygone high school days, she had not fallen off
+as a player. During the fifteen minutes of brisk play, she was
+conspicuous by reason of her clever work with the ball. Watching her
+eagerly, Marjorie could only hope to do as well when her turn came to
+play.
+
+At Sanford High School she had often been rated by enthusiastic fans as
+the star player of the school. She had formerly loved the game and
+played it with all her might. Now the old delightful fascination for it
+thrilled her anew. She forgot everything save the fact that she was once
+more to tussle for the ball. Robin Page had been called to the opposing
+five. From the moment Professor Leonard put the ball in play at center
+she and Marjorie amply demonstrated their right to be classed as stars.
+Applause was not slow in coming from the interested spectators. The
+sophs raised their voices in cries of "Robin Page! Marjorie Dean!--Who
+are they? They're all right! Some players! Rah, rah, rah!" and similar
+calls of noisy appreciation. Even Professor Leonard smiled at the racket
+that ensued when Marjorie made a clever throw to basket after spiritedly
+dodging her opponents.
+
+When finally the try-out ended and the official soph team was named, it
+consisted of Robin, Muriel, Marjorie, Grace Dearborn and Marie Peyton.
+To Marjorie fell the honor of center and a more delighted, astonished
+girl than she would have been hard to find.
+
+"You deserve center," Robin delightedly wrung her hand. "You are a better
+player than I and I don't mind a bit. Oh, Marjorie! Think what fun we
+shall have whipping all the other teams. We have a wonderful five!"
+
+This was the consensus of opinion. Knowing fans were already predicting
+easy victories for the sophomore team that season. The moment the
+winning five had been announced Lola Elster disappeared. Her
+mortification at having failed to make the team would not permit her to
+remain and meet the Sans. She knew Leslie Cairns would be disappointed,
+and, consequently, in a bad humor. Her own state of chagrin was such
+that a word from Leslie would have brought on a quarrel. Lola prudently
+decided to vanish until the keen edge of Leslie's displeasure should
+have worn itself off.
+
+The fast playing they had witnessed that afternoon went far to dampen
+the Sans' ardor to try for the junior team. That evening they held a
+consultation in Joan's room on the subject. In the end, however, they
+could not resist the desire to make themselves prominent. They agreed to
+play their best, and, if chosen, to hire a coach and practice
+assiduously. Leslie was present at the discussion and brimming with
+derision. "You had better keep off the floor," was her rough advice.
+"You'll make a worse showing than Lola did and she was hopeless."
+
+Spurred by Leslie's jibes the Sans resolved to put forth every effort at
+their try-out to make a decent showing. Other than themselves there were
+not more than half a dozen aspirants. Thus their chances were good.
+Having closely watched the director's methods at two try-outs they knew
+what would be expected of them. They had also learned a number of things
+about basket ball that they had not known before. Whether they could
+apply this knowledge to their own playing on such short notice was a
+question.
+
+When the fateful junior try-out was over, Professor Leonard was of the
+private opinion that he had made a mistake in attempting to carry basket
+ball beyond the sophomore year. Nevertheless he selected a team from
+junior material, such as it was, and proceeded to tersely address them.
+Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Harriet Stephens represented the Sans.
+The other two players chosen were a Miss Hale and a small sprightly
+junior, Nina Merrill.
+
+"You young women are all sadly out of practice. You can play a fair game
+if you go to work and spend some time on the floor. You are away behind
+the freshmen and sophomores. You would be white-washed by either team if
+you met them now. Your playing is too slow. Learn to move fast. That is
+essential in basket ball. On a man's team, the moment a player begins to
+show a slowing down he is dropped. Quick work; that is the beauty of
+this game. Come here regularly for practice and I will help you."
+
+The frank opinion of the director, delivered in impersonal kindness,
+the Sans found hard to swallow. Self-willed and self-centered, they bore
+honest criticism very badly. Neither were they appreciative of his offer
+to aid them in their practice.
+
+"I think it is fine in Professor Leonard to offer to help us," ventured
+Nina Merrill to Joan Myers as the director walked away. The team had
+been standing in a group during the short address.
+
+"Really, I hadn't thought about it." Joan's tones were chilling. Nina
+was a nobody in her estimation and must be treated as such.
+
+"You must be most unappreciative." Stung by the snub she had received,
+Nina spoke straight from her heart. Then she turned and walked away.
+
+"Why, the idea!" An angry flush overspread Joan's face. To be treated to
+a dose of her own medicine did not set well.
+
+Just then Leslie Cairns joined them and Joan forgot her outraged
+feelings.
+
+"Come along," ordered Leslie. "Get your togs changed in a hurry. I am
+going to blow you three girls to eats at the Ivy. Beat it out of the
+dressing room without saying where you're going. I want to talk to you
+three and I am not strong for entertaining the gang. You did better than
+I thought you would. What was Leonard haranguing you about?"
+
+"He raked us down for being out of practice. Said he would coach us if
+we'd come regularly to the gym." Natalie made a contemptuous gesture.
+
+"Tell him to fly away," shrugged Leslie. "You don't need his coaching. I
+have a better plan. Let's be moving."
+
+The quartette walked away without a word of farewell to Ruth Hale, who
+had been standing near them. She was also beneath their notice.
+
+"You had a lot to say about _our_ punk playing before the try-out, Les.
+What do you think of Lola? She certainly didn't distinguish herself."
+Natalie could not conceal her satisfaction at Lola's failure.
+
+"Don't mention it." Leslie's heavy brows met. "I was sore enough at the
+little dummy to shake her. She let the other five put it all over her. I
+haven't seen her since she flivvered and I don't want to."
+
+"She never could play basket ball," was Natalie's lofty assertion.
+
+"She didn't show any signs of it yesterday," Leslie grimly agreed. "I'll
+meet you girls at the garage," she directed with a brusque change of
+subject. "I am going over there for my car. It's good way to lose the
+gang. They won't look for us there."
+
+"What do you think of Les?" inquired Joan with raised brows as the two
+girls entered the dressing room. "Before Lola flivvered she was simply
+insufferable. Today she is positively affable. She's down on Lola.
+That's one reason."
+
+"I wish she'd stay down on her," responded Natalie with fervor. "Les and
+I have never been as good pals since Lola Elster entered Hamilton."
+
+"Now listen to me, Nat. Leslie likes you just as well as she ever did."
+Joan broke forth with some impatience. "She runs around with Lola and
+Bess Walbert, I know, and makes a fuss over them. She is perfectly aware
+that it makes you sore. She does it to be tantalizing. Les likes to keep
+something going all the time. It is a wonder to me that she hasn't been
+expelled from college for some of the tricks she has put over. What you
+must do is to pay no attention to her when she is aggravating. Don't
+quarrel with her. She enjoys that. Simply behave as though you couldn't
+see her at all. It will cure her. I'd rather see her chummy with you
+than Lola or Bess, either. Bess Walbert can't tell the truth to save her
+neck, and Lola is a selfish kid who thinks of no one but herself."
+
+"That's all true, Joan," Natalie said with unusual meekness. "I will
+really try to treat Les as you suggest."
+
+It was not necessary that evening to treat Leslie as Joan had advised.
+She was amiability itself. After ordering dinner, composed of the most
+expensive items on the menu, she rested her elbows on the table and
+announced: "I am going to hire a coach for you three girls. I have the
+address of an all-around sportsman who will teach you a few plays that
+no one can get by."
+
+"But, Les, we can't do much with only three to play," objected Joan.
+"You don't want those two sticks of juniors at our private practice do
+you?"
+
+"Not so you could notice them. You won't have to play a trio. The coach
+will make four and----" Leslie paused. "I shall make a fifth. I need the
+exercise. The coach needs the money. Besides, I propose to hire a hall."
+
+Joan and Natalie tittered at this last. Leslie smiled in her
+loose-lipped fashion.
+
+"I met this man at the beach last summer. He was coaching a private
+track team. He knows every trick in the sports category. He told me
+there were lots of ways of fussing one's opponents in basket ball
+besides treating them roughly. He said he had a regular line of what he
+called 'soft talk' that he had used with splendid effect. He gave me his
+address and said if ever I needed his services to write him. I had told
+him enough about the game here so he understood me. I understand him,
+too. This is my idea," she continued, leaning far forward and lowering
+her voice.
+
+For ten minutes she talked on, her listeners paying strict and
+respectful attention.
+
+"It's a great plan," admiringly approved Joan when Leslie had finished.
+"It will take cleverness and nerve, though."
+
+"I doubt if I can do it," deprecated Harriet.
+
+"Certainly you can do it. After you work a week or two with this coach
+and learn his methods you will be O. K. You will have to give three
+afternoons a week to it; maybe more. I'll drive to Hamilton and hire
+that hall tomorrow. I'll wire the coach before we go back to the campus
+tonight. He's in New York and I can have him here by Saturday."
+
+"It's going to cost oodles of money. Why are you so bent on doing it,
+Les?" Joan asked curiously.
+
+"I won't be kept out of things." Leslie turned almost fiercely upon her
+questioner. "I loathe that nippy Robina Page and I hate Marjorie Dean
+and her crowd. They can play basket ball, I'll admit. I'll show them
+they are not the only stars. You girls have got to take a game away from
+them. You are not to play them for a while. You are to whip the freshies
+first. They are a handful, too. Later, you are to beat the sophs. With
+the help of Ramsey, this coach, you can do it, and I know it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+"THE SOFT TALK."
+
+
+The senior try-out did not take place on Friday. No aspirants appeared
+at the gymnasium. The seniors were not ambitious to shine as basket-ball
+stars. The freshmen went to work at once to perfect their playing under
+the willing guidance of Professor Leonard. The soph team was not quite
+so zealous, but put in at least two afternoons a week at practice. This
+team was the pride of the active director's heart. He assured them more
+than once that they could meet a team of professional men players and
+acquit themselves with credit. If he wondered why the junior five did
+not take advantage of his offer, he made no comment. While he took a
+deep interest in basket ball, he left all the arrangements of the games
+to the senior sports committee, preferring to allow them to do the
+managing.
+
+Owing to the delay in forming the teams, no games were scheduled to be
+played until after Thanksgiving. Directly college routine was resumed
+after that holiday the freshmen challenged the sophomores to meet them
+on the eighth of December. The sophs graciously accepted the challenge
+and beat the freshies after one of the hardest fought contests that had
+ever taken place at Hamilton. The score stood 24-22 in favor of the
+sophs when the game ended, and the tumult which ensued could be heard
+half way across the campus. The freshmen had fought so gallantly they
+came in for almost as much acclamation as the winners.
+
+Ready to give the defeated team an opportunity to square itself, the
+sophs challenged the freshmen to meet them on the following Saturday.
+The unexpected illness of Phyllis Moore, who contracted a severe cold on
+the eve of the game, resulted in a postponement. The freshmen team did
+not wish to play without Phyllis, though they announced themselves ready
+to do so by appointing a sub to her position. The sophs, however, would
+not hear to this. Thus the postponement was satisfactory to all
+concerned.
+
+The junior team, in the meantime, were keeping strictly in the
+background. Secretly the coach, Milton Ramsey, had been established in a
+hotel in the town of Hamilton and was busily engaged with Leslie's team.
+Never had Joan, Harriet and Natalie had to work so hard. Not only must
+they practice in secret. Leslie decreed that they would have to
+practice in the gymnasium with the other two chosen members of the team
+in order to keep up appearances. She was a hard taskmaster, but she kept
+her companions in good humor by expensive presents and treats. Further,
+she assured them that once they had beaten the sophs they could drop
+basket ball for the rest of the year.
+
+The rest of the Sans were not blind to the fact that the four girls were
+deep in some private scheme of their own. Coolly informed by Leslie to
+mind their own affairs and they would live longer and wear better, they
+gossiped about the situation among themselves and let it go at that. The
+majority of them were not doing well in their subjects and they were
+constrained to turn their attention for a time to the more serious side
+of college.
+
+Christmas came, with its dearly coveted home holidays, and the Lookouts
+gladly laid down their books for the bliss of being re-united with their
+home folks and beloved friends. This time Lucy Warner spent Christmas at
+home, taking Katherine with her. A four weeks' illness of Miss
+Humphrey's secretary had given Lucy the position of substitute. This
+unexpected stretch of work had furnished her the means with which to
+spend Christmas with her mother. The registrar privately remarked to
+President Matthews that Lucy was the most able secretary she had ever
+employed.
+
+For a week following the Christmas vacation, spreads and jollifications
+were the order in the campus houses. As Jerry pensively observed, after
+a feast in Leila's room, the world seemed principally made of fruit
+cakes, preserves and five-pound boxes of chocolates.
+
+"I'm always crazy to go home at Christmas, yet it is pretty nice to be
+back here again," she remarked to Marjorie one evening soon after their
+return to Hamilton, as she sealed and addressed a long letter to her
+mother.
+
+"I am so homesick the first two or three days after I come back that
+nothing seems right," Marjorie said rather soberly. "College soon
+swallows that up, though. I think about General and Captain just as
+often, but it doesn't hurt so much. Goodness knows we have enough to
+busy us here. My subjects are so difficult this term. Then there's
+basket ball. The freshmen are clamoring now for a game. Our team will
+re-issue that challenge soon, I know."
+
+"What do those junior basket-ball artists think they are going to do, I
+wonder?" Jerry tilted her nose in disdain. "I hear they are practicing
+quite regularly in the gym. They simply ignore Professor Leonard. I mean
+the three Sans. Miss Hale and Miss Merrill are awfully cross about it.
+They have to play with the team, and it seems Leslie Cairns is coaching
+it, or trying to."
+
+"I heard she was. I didn't know she could play. Funny the juniors don't
+challenge either the freshies or us."
+
+"They wouldn't win from either team." Jerry shook a prophetic head. "The
+Sans seem to have settled down to minding their own affairs since Kathie
+was hurt. I guess that subdued them a little. They slid out of that
+scrape easily. Hope they practice minding their own business for the
+rest of the year. Ronny says she is amazed that they can do so."
+
+Three days later the sophomore team re-issued their challenge. Sent to
+the freshmen on Monday, the game took place on the Saturday after.
+Another battle was waged and the score at the close of the game was
+28-26 in favor of the sophs. It seemed that the freshmen could not
+surmount the fatal two points. Deeply disappointed, they bore the defeat
+with the greatest good nature. They were too fond of the victors to show
+spleen. Nothing daunted, they challenged the sophs to meet them again
+two weeks from that Saturday.
+
+The next Monday a surprise awaited them. They received a challenge from
+the junior team to play them on the Saturday of that week. Though not
+enthusiastic over the honor, they accepted. Nor could they be blamed for
+being privately confident that they would win the game. It stood to
+reason that if they could so nearly tie their score with the sophs, the
+juniors would not be difficult to vanquish.
+
+When Saturday rolled around and the game was called, they took the
+floor, quietly confident of victory. It seemed as though the entire
+student body had turned out to witness the game. There had been plenty
+of comment on the campus at Leslie Cairns' sudden whim of acting as
+coach. Curiosity as to what kind of showing the juniors would make as a
+result of her efforts at coaching had brought many girls to the scene.
+
+Before the game began the freshman team were somewhat puzzled at the
+extreme affability of the three Sans' members of the opposing team. The
+trio met them as they emerged from the dressing room and hailed them as
+though they had been long lost friends. The impression of this
+unexpected cordiality had not died out of the five freshmen's minds when
+the toss-up was made. As the game proceeded they became dimly aware that
+this fulsome show of affability was being continued. Pitted against the
+junior team, as they were, it was most annoying. Nor did the three Sans
+play the game in silence. Whenever they came into close contact with
+one or more of the freshmen, they had something to say. It was not more
+than a hasty sentence or two uttered in a peculiarly soft tone. The
+effect, however, was disconcerting. Soon it became maddening.
+Involuntarily the one addressed strained the ear to catch the import. A
+sudden exclamation or ejaculation would have passed unnoticed. This
+purposely continued flow of soft remark drew the attention of the hearer
+just enough to interfere with both speed and initiative.
+
+Not until the first half of the game had been played did it dawn fully
+upon the freshmen that they were being subjected to an interference as
+unfair as any bodily move to hamper would have been. Further, the three
+girls were doing it very cleverly. It was not hampering their playing in
+the least. Ruth Hale and Nina Merrill were playing with honest vim and
+in silence. Their sturdy work was equal to that of any of the opposing
+team save Phyllis. She was as brilliant a player as her cousin, Robin
+Page. Being, however, of a nervous, high-strung temperament, the three
+Sans' tactics had effected her most of all. As a consequence, she missed
+the basket two different times. Besides that, she grew disheartened with
+the thought that she was playing badly and missed opportunities at the
+ball that would never have ordinarily slipped by her.
+
+The end of the first half of the game found the score 12-8 in favor of
+the juniors. The instant it was over Phyllis, who captured her team,
+gathered them into one of the several small rooms off the gymnasium.
+
+"Girls," she said, in low intense tones, her blue eyes flashing, "you
+understand what those three Sans are trying hard to do. Miss Hale and
+Miss Merrill are innocent. We can complain to the sports committee and
+stop the game, but I'd rather not. Basket ball rules ban striking,
+tripping and such malicious interferences. They don't ban talking. These
+cheats know it. They annoyed me, because I wasn't expecting any such
+trick. I never played worse. We are four points behind. It's principally
+my fault, too. All we can do with dignity to ourselves is to try not to
+notice their ragging during the second half."
+
+"Queer kind of ragging," sputtered Janet Baird. "If they'd say mean
+things we'd know better how to take them. Miss Weyman said right in my
+ear, last half, 'You freshies certainly play a fast game. How do you do
+it?' Her voice was as sweet as could be. It got on my nerves. Only for a
+second or so, but long enough to take my attention from the ball. That
+was her object."
+
+The other members of the team had similar instances to relate. The ten
+minutes' rest between halves was turned into an indignation meeting.
+When the recall whistle blew, the incensed five took the floor in
+anything but the collected, impersonal mood the game demanded.
+
+The three Sans had spent their intermission talking to Leslie. She was
+in high good humor over the success of her scheme. "You have them going.
+Don't let up on them a minute. See that they don't make up those four
+points. Hale and Merrill are playing finely."
+
+"They don't suspect a thing, either," declared Natalie. "I am afraid
+those freshies will set up a squeal to the sports committee if we win."
+
+"If? You must win. No ifs about it," decreed Leslie. "What can they say?
+You haven't broken the rules of the game. If they make a kick about it
+they put themselves in the sorehead class."
+
+Thus encouraged by their leader, the elated trio returned to the floor
+primed for more mischief. Advised by Leslie, they kept quiet during the
+first five minutes. Expecting to be again assailed by the irritating
+murmurs, the freshmen met with a welcome silence on the part of their
+tormentors. It lasted just long enough for the ragging to be doubly
+irritating when it began afresh. Now on the defensive, the freshman five
+steeled themselves to endure it with stoicism. Nevertheless, it was a
+strain and put them at a subtle disadvantage. They managed to make up
+two of the points they had lost. Fate then entered the lists against
+them. Janet Baird made the serious mistake of throwing the ball into the
+wrong basket. This elicited vociferous cheering from junior fans and
+spurred their team on to the fastest playing they had done since the
+beginning of the game. Needless to say they dropped their unfair tactics
+at the last and fought with fierce energy to pile up their score. The
+freshmen also picked up on the closing few minutes, but the game ended
+24-20 in favor of the juniors.
+
+The losing team made straight for their dressing room, there to relieve
+their pent-up feelings. Very soon afterward they were visited by the
+sophomore team. They had attended the game in a body and had not been
+slow to see that things were all wrong.
+
+"Don't feel down-hearted about it," sympathized Marjorie, as Janet Baird
+began bewailing her unlucky mistake of baskets. "We know how things
+were. So do lots of others. If the juniors should challenge you to
+another game, don't accept the challenge. We sophs hope they will
+challenge us. We think they will and try the same tactics with us. Then
+we are going to teach them one good lesson. After that we shall ignore
+them as a team."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+A CLAIM ON FRIENDSHIP.
+
+
+After the sophomore five had heard a detailed account from Phyllis of
+what had occurred on the floor, they were more determined than ever on
+punishing the three offenders. The awkward hitch in their plans was the
+fact that Miss Hale and Miss Merrill, though players on the team, could
+not be included in their team mates' misdoings.
+
+"Some one ought to tell those two girls how matters stand," was Ronny's
+energetic opinion. "They must have been very dense not to see and hear
+for themselves. If they noticed nothing was wrong during the game, they
+must surely have heard things since. It's no secret on the campus. Talk
+about a good illustration in psychology! It was a deliberate attempt at
+retarding action by a malicious irritating of the mind. I think I ought
+to cite it in psychology class."
+
+Several days after the game Nina Merrill went privately to Phyllis and
+frankly asked her a number of questions. Receiving blunt answers which
+tallied with a rumor she had heard, she laid the matter before Ruth Hale
+and both girls resigned from the junior team. This put the remaining
+trio in a position they did not relish. The senior sports committee
+having received the resignations of the two indignant juniors accepted
+them without question. They appointed Dulcie Vale and Eleanor Ray, both
+substitute players, to fill the vacancies. As the Sans had been almost
+the only juniors to try for the team, the committee had little choice in
+the matter. Their appointment brought elation to their team mates and
+Leslie Cairns. "Ramsey will soon put them in good trim," she exulted.
+"Don't wait for those sulky freshies to challenge you. After the girls
+have had a week's practice, challenge the sophs and set the date two
+weeks away. That will give Dulcie and Nell plenty of time to learn the
+ropes."
+
+The Saturday following the disastrous game between freshmen and juniors
+saw the freshmen actually tie their score with the sophs. According to
+fans it was "one beautiful game" and the freshies left the floor vastly
+inspirited after their defeat of the previous week. Meanwhile the
+sophomores calmly awaited the junior challenge. They were better pleased
+to have the junior team composed entirely of Sans. They would have a
+quintette of the same stripe with which to deal.
+
+Before the challenge came, however, the St. Valentine masquerade, the
+yearly junior dance, given on February fourteenth, claimed attention. It
+was, perhaps, the most enjoyed of any Hamilton festivity. What girl can
+resist the lure of a bal masque? The socially inclined students often
+went to great pains and expense in the way of costumes. Three prizes
+were always offered; one for the funniest, one for the prettiest, and
+one for the most generally pleasing costume.
+
+"I don't know what to wear to the masquerade," Marjorie declared rather
+dolefully. The Five Travelers were holding a meeting in hers and Jerry's
+room. "I'm in despair."
+
+"Go as a French doll," suggested Ronny. "I have a pale blue net frock
+made over flesh-colored taffeta. It will be sweet for you. Shorten the
+skirt and it will make a stunning French doll costume. I have heelless
+blue dancing slippers to match."
+
+"You're an angel. Isn't she, Jeremiah?" Marjorie became all animation.
+"What are you going to wear, oh, generous fairy god-mother?"
+
+"My butterfly costume. The one I danced in at the Sanford campfire."
+
+"What are you going to mask as, Jeremiah," curiously inquired Lucy.
+"Every time I see you I forget to ask you."
+
+"I am going as an infant," giggled Jerry. "I shall wear a white lawn
+frock, down to my heels, and one of those engaging baby bonnets. I shall
+carry a rattle and a nursing bottle and wail occasionally to let folks
+know I am around."
+
+"I don't want to dress up, but I suppose I'll have to," grumbled Lucy.
+"I'll go as a school girl, I guess. I can wear a checked gingham dress I
+have and a white apron, by shortening them. White stockings and white
+tennis shoes will go well with it. I'll wear my hair down my back in two
+braids."
+
+"I shan't tell you what my costume's going to be. Only you will never
+know me on that night." Muriel made this announcement with a tantalizing
+smile.
+
+"I would know you anywhere," contradicted Jerry. "I'll bet you a dinner
+at Baretti's that I'll walk up to you after the grand march and say
+'Hello, Muriel.'"
+
+"I'll bet you you don't," was Muriel's confident reply.
+
+"This dance has put a large crimp in basket ball," Ronny suddenly
+observed. "It seems to be at a standstill. Vera said today that she
+heard the juniors had challenged you sophs."
+
+"Not yet," returned Marjorie. "Robin heard the same thing. She mentioned
+it to me after chemistry today. Maybe we are due to get a challenge
+tomorrow. If we do we will not take it up until after the dance. We
+don't care to be bothered with it now. Do we, Muriel?"
+
+"No, sir. After the masquerade is over we'll then turn our undivided
+attention to laying the juniors up for the winter. That may be the last
+game of the year, unless the freshies yearn for another. I am tired of
+playing, to tell you the truth. I don't intend to play next year."
+
+"Nor I," Marjorie said. "I like the good old game, but it takes up so
+much of one's spare time. I shall go in for long walks for exercise. I
+have never yet prowled around this part of the world as much as I
+pleased."
+
+"I see where I grow thin and sylph-like," beamed Jerry. "_I_ shall
+accompany you on those prowls."
+
+"I think I'll join the united prowlers' association, too," laughed
+Ronny. "I'd love to have a chance to prowl about Hamilton Arms, wouldn't
+you? I walked past there the other afternoon. They say that old house is
+simply filled with antiques. They also say that Miss Susanna Hamilton
+won't permit a student to set foot on the lawn. And all because she fell
+out with a member of the Board. He must have done something very
+serious."
+
+"It is too bad she has shut herself away from everyone," Marjorie mused.
+"She is probably unhappy. Leila says she looks like a little old robin.
+Her hair isn't very gray and she is quite energetic. She has a rose
+garden and digs in it a lot. Just to think. She could tell us the most
+_interesting_ things about Brooke Hamilton and we don't know her and
+never will."
+
+"Sad but true," agreed Jerry without sadness.
+
+During the short time that lay between them and the masquerade, the
+Lookouts spent their free hours in arranging their costumes. Ronny had
+to mend a broken place in one of her butterfly wings. Marjorie, Lucy and
+Jerry had to turn needlewomen. While Marjorie and Lucy had to shorten
+the skirts of their costumes, Jerry busied herself in laboriously
+finishing the infant dress she had been working on for over two weeks.
+"I'll never go back to infancy again, after the masquerade, believe me,"
+she disgustedly declared. "Let me tell you, this sweet little baby gown
+is fearfully and wonderfully made. I know, for I took every stitch in
+it."
+
+The day before the dance the sophomore team received the junior
+challenge to play them on the twenty-seventh of February. Purposely to
+keep their unworthy opponents on the anxious seat they did not
+immediately answer the notice sent them. "Let them wait until after the
+dance," Robin Page said scornfully. "If we had not determined to teach
+them a lesson, we would turn down their challenge and state our reason
+in good plain English."
+
+The evening of the St. Valentine masquerade was always a gala one on
+the campus. Dinner was served promptly at five-thirty. By seven o'clock,
+if the weather permitted, masked figures in twos, threes and groups
+might be seen parading the campus. Eight o'clock saw the beginning of
+the grand march. Unmasking took place at half-past nine. Then the dance
+continued merrily until midnight.
+
+Hurrying from Science Hall after her last recitation of the afternoon,
+Marjorie crossed the campus at a swift run. She was anxious to be early
+at the lavatory for a shower before the girls began to arrive there in
+numbers. Coming hastily into the hall she glanced at the bulletin board.
+In the rack above it, lettered with each resident's name, was mail for
+her. She gave a gurgle of pleasure as she saw that the topmost of two
+letters was in her mother's hand. The other was not post-marked, which
+indicated that it had come from someone at the college. She did not
+recognize the writing.
+
+Saving her mother's letter to read later, she tore open the other
+envelope as she went upstairs. On the landing beside a hall window she
+stopped and drew forth the contents. Her bright face clouded a trifle as
+she perused the note.
+
+"Dear Miss Dean: it read:
+
+    "It is too bad to trouble you when I know you are getting ready
+    for the masquerade, but could you come over to my boarding house
+    for a few minutes this evening at about half-past seven?  I am
+    in great trouble and need your advice.  I would ask you to come
+    earlier but this will be the best time for me.  We moved this
+    week to the house two doors below the one I used to live in, so
+    stop at 852 instead of going on to 856.  If you can find it in
+    your heart to come to me now I shall be deeply grateful.  I am
+    in sore need of a friend.  Please do not mention this to anyone.
+
+                                         "Yours sincerely,
+                                                     "Anna Towne."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+ALL ON ST. VALENTINE'S NIGHT.
+
+
+Marjorie swallowed an inconvenient lump that rose in her throat. She
+would go to Miss Towne, but it meant a total up-setting of her plans. As
+she could not guess the freshman's trouble she could not gauge her time.
+She might have to be gone for some time, although the note read "a few
+minutes." It was too bad. She felt a half desire to cry with
+disappointment. If she went at once she could get it over with and not
+miss the dance. But, no; the note specified half-past seven as the hour.
+
+Presently she rallied from her downcast mood and took sturdy hope.
+Perhaps, after all, she would not be detained long. She was sure Anna
+had done nothing wrong. It was more likely a financial difficulty which
+confronted her. That would not be so hard to adjust. Jerry would have to
+know. She decided that the other three Lookouts were entitled to know
+also. She might have to call on them for help in Anna's case. They were
+her close friends and fit to be trusted with a confidence. She claimed
+the right to use her own judgment in the matter.
+
+"What a shame!" was Jerry's disgruntled reception of the news. "I think
+it is selfish in her. Why couldn't she have waited until tomorrow? It is
+probably a financial difficulty. She isn't the kind of girl to break
+rules."
+
+"A member of her family may have died and she hasn't the money to go
+home. It must be really serious," Marjorie soberly contended. "I ought
+to go and I will. There is no snow on the ground. I can dress before I
+go and wear high overshoes and my fur coat and cap. Then, if I am not
+kept there long, I can hustle to the gym and be there before the
+unmasking."
+
+Better pleased with this arrangement, Marjorie hastily gathered up
+towels and toilet accessories and trotted off to the lavatory, leaving
+Jerry to frowningly re-read the note. Jerry did not like it at all. She
+wondered why Miss Towne could not have come to Wayland Hall instead of
+putting her chum to the extra trouble of seeking her.
+
+Dinner was eaten post haste that night by the excited participants in
+the masquerade. Preparations having been the order so long beforehand,
+it did not take the maskers long after dinner to get into their
+costumes. They were eager to go outdoors and parade the campus, the
+night being pleasantly snappy with an overhead studding of countless
+stars.
+
+Fearless in the matter of going out alone after dark where an errand
+called her, Marjorie did not mind the rather lonely walk after leaving
+the campus. In order to escape parties of maskers on the campus she wore
+her own mask and therefore escaped special notice. Without it she would
+have been challenged by every party of masks she met. This was a
+favorite custom on this night. Frequently a member of the faculty was
+caught in crossing the stretch of ground and gleefully interviewed.
+
+Coming to the row of houses, in one of which Miss Towne resided,
+Marjorie kept a sharp lookout for the number. The house where she had
+formerly lived stood about the middle of the block. Finally she came to
+852, which she found by means of a small pocket flashlight which she
+usually carried at night. The arc light was too far up the street to be
+of use to her in this.
+
+Pausing at the bottom step of the dingy wooden veranda, Marjorie
+surveyed the house with a feeling of depression. The two windows on the
+left were without blinds and dark. There was a faint light in the hall
+and in the room on the right. The two windows of this room had shades.
+One was drawn down completely; the other was raised about eight inches
+above the sill.
+
+"What a cheerless place," she murmured half aloud. "It is worse than the
+other house. I suppose the landlady hasn't got settled yet."
+
+Mechanically she reached out and took hold of the old-style door bell.
+It did not respond at first. Using more force, it emitted a faint eerie
+tinkle. "It sounds positively weird," was Marjorie's thought. She smiled
+to herself as she rang it again. "I hope I shall never have to live in a
+boarding house like this. I am lucky to have love and a beautiful home
+and really every good thing."
+
+The faint sound of footsteps from within falling upon her expectant ear,
+Marjorie straightened up and waited. A hand turned the knob. The door
+opened about ten inches.
+
+"Good evening. Come in." Addressed in a muffled voice, Marjorie caught
+sight of a tall, black-robed figure. Before she could reply to the
+muttered salutation, she felt herself seized by the arms and drawn into
+the house with a jerk. Simultaneous with the harsh grasp of a pair of
+strong hands the light in the hall was turned out.
+
+"Oh!" She gave one sharp little scream and exerting her young strength
+flung off the prisoning hands. "Keep your hands off me," she ordered
+bravely.
+
+Just then the door leading from the hall into the right hand room
+opened. The light from several tall candles shone dimly into the hall.
+She saw that she was surrounded by half a dozen dominoed masks.
+
+"Bring in the prisoner," grated a harsh voice from within the room.
+Despite Marjorie's command of hands off, she was given a sudden shove
+forward which sent her roughly through the doorway and into the larger
+apartment.
+
+Sureness of foot saved her from stumbling. Strange to say, she had now
+lost all fear of the company of masked figures in whose midst she stood.
+It had begun to enforce itself upon her that she had been hoaxed into
+visiting an empty house by those who had taken advantage of the
+masquerade to carry out their plan without undue notice to themselves.
+She was now certain that she was being hazed by students. She knew of
+only one group of Hamilton girls who would be bold enough to
+deliberately defy the strictest rule of Hamilton College.
+
+The masked company were attired in black dominos; all save one who
+appeared to be a kind of sinister master of ceremonies. This one wore a
+domino of bright scarlet silk and a leering false face mask that was
+hideous in the extreme. The flickering flame of the candles added to the
+grim and horrifying effect. A girl of timid inclinations would have
+been sadly frightened. Marjorie was made of sterner stuff. She had
+experienced, briefly, actual terror when she felt herself seized and
+drawn into the house. She had now recovered from that and was
+righteously angry. She determined to assume contemptuous indifference,
+for the time being, preferring to allow her captors to play their hand
+first.
+
+"Prisoner, you are now before the stern tribunal of the Scarlet Mask,"
+announced the red dominoed figure in the same harsh guttural tones. "You
+have been guilty of many crimes and are to be punished for these
+tonight. If you obey my mandate you will escape with your wretched life.
+Disobey and nothing can save you. You are now to be put to the question
+by one who knows your treacherous heart. You will remove your outer
+wrappings and stand forth. Question." The red mask made an imperious
+gesture. A domino on the left stepped forward as though to lay hands on
+Marjorie.
+
+"I shall not remove my coat, cap or overshoes." Marjorie's ringing
+accents cut sharply on the cold air of the unfurnished, unheated room.
+"If one of you undertakes to lay a hand on me you will be sorry; not
+only now but hereafter. I defy you to do it."
+
+Standing almost in the center of the circle of dominos, Marjorie cast
+contemptuous eyes about the circle of maskers. She fully intended to
+defend herself if further molested. She was one against many, but she
+could at least fight her way to the window, tear aside the shade and
+pound lustily upon it, raising her voice for help. She was certain she
+was in the hands of the Sans. She knew they would not court exposure.
+They had reckoned on completely intimidating her.
+
+A peculiar silence followed Marjorie's spirited defiance. It was as
+though the high tribunal were in doubt as to what they had best do next.
+With one accord their slits of eyes were turned on their leader. The
+domino who had been ordered to lay hold of the prisoner shied off
+perceptibly.
+
+"Bring forth the charges against the prisoner." The distinguished
+scarlet mask suddenly changed tune. While the hideous face within the
+close-fitting hood glared fiendishly at Marjorie, the real face behind
+it wore an expression of baffled anger. The unruly prisoner seemed in
+possession of an inner force that forbade molestation. Then, too, she
+was unafraid and all ready to make a lively commotion.
+
+A domino on the outer edge of the group came forward with a roll of
+foolscap, tied with a black cord. The cord impressively untied, amid
+dead silence, and the paper unrolled, the reading of Marjorie's crimes
+was begun.
+
+"Prisoner, you are accused of untruthfulness, treachery and malicious
+interference in the affairs of others. It is not our purpose to detail
+to you the occasion of these crimes. These occasions are known to the
+high tribunal and have been proven against you."
+
+"It is my purpose to demand proof," interrupted Marjorie with open
+sarcasm. "I am not untruthful, malicious or treacherous. I do not
+propose to allow anyone to accuse me of such things. I----"
+
+"Be silent!" The Scarlet Mask had evidently lost temper. The command was
+roared out in a voice that sounded perilously like that of Leslie
+Cairns.
+
+Marjorie gave a little amused laugh. She stared straight at the red mask
+with tantalizing eyes. "Were you speaking to me?" she inquired with a
+cool discomfiting sweetness that made the eyes looking into hers snap.
+
+"Prisoner, you are insolent." The red mask was careful this time to
+speak in the earlier hoarse disguised voice.
+
+"I mean to be. It is time to end this farce, I think. So far as
+treachery, malice and truth are concerned you, not I," Marjorie swept
+the tense, listening group with an inclusive gesture, "are guilty. Some
+one of you deliberately wrote me a lying note in order to get me here.
+Now I am here, but your whole scheme has fallen flat because I am not
+afraid. You thought I would be. I will say again what I said to a number
+of you on the campus last March: How silly you are!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+LOOKOUTS REAL AND TRUE.
+
+
+While Marjorie had gone on to the reception a la masque which had been
+prepared for her, Jerry had donned her infant costume in a far from
+happy humor. She could not get over her feeling of resentment against
+Anna Towne, though she knew it was hardly just. Twice during the
+progress of her dressing she picked up the note from the chiffonier and
+re-read it with knitted brows. There was something in the assured style
+of it that went against the grain.
+
+"Where's Marjorie?" was Ronny's first speech as shortly after seven she
+flitted into the room looking like a veritable butterfly in her gorgeous
+black and yellow costume. "I am anxious to see her as a doll. I know she
+will be simply exquisite."
+
+"She certainly looked sweet," returned Jerry. She paused, eyeing Ronny
+in mild surprise. Ronny had broken into a hearty laugh. Jerry as an
+infant was so irresistibly funny. Her chubby figure in the high-waisted
+tucked and belaced gown and her round face looking out from the fluted
+lace frills of a close-fitting bonnet made her appear precisely like a
+large-sized baby.
+
+"Oh, I see. You're laughing at me. Aren't you rude, though? Ma-ma-a-a!"
+Jerry set up a grieved wail.
+
+"You are a great success, Jeremiah." Ronny continued to laugh as Jerry
+performed an infantile solo with a white celluloid rattle. "Where is
+Marjorie? I asked you once but you didn't answer."
+
+"Read that. Marjorie said I was to show it to the Lookouts." Jerry
+picked up the letter from the chiffonier and handed it to Ronny.
+
+"How unfortunate!" was Ronny's exclamation as she hastily read the note.
+"When did she leave here? I am glad she put on her costume before she
+went. She can go straight to the gym, provided she isn't detained over
+there."
+
+"She left here at five minutes past seven," Jerry answered. "I felt
+cross about it, too. It seems as though Marjorie is always picked-out to
+do something for someone just about the time she has planned to have a
+good time herself."
+
+"What do you suppose has happened to Miss Towne? She was your freshie
+catch. It's a wonder she didn't ask you to go to her instead of
+Marjorie."
+
+"Well, she didn't. I have tried to behave like a father to her but she
+doesn't seem to notice it," Jerry returned humorously. "You see they all
+gravitate straight to Marjorie. There's something about her that
+inspires confidence in the breasts of timid freshies."
+
+"She is the dearest girl on earth." Ronny spoke with sudden tenderness.
+"Are you going out on the campus to parade? I am not particularly
+anxious to go."
+
+"Then we won't go, for I don't care about it, either." A double rapping
+on the door sent Jerry scurrying to it. Katherine and Lucy walked in,
+arms twined about each other's waists. They were a pretty pair of school
+girls in their short bright gingham dresses, ruffled white aprons and
+white stockings and tennis shoes. Hair in two braids, broad-brimmed
+flower-wreathed hats and school knapsacks swinging from the shoulder
+completed their simple but effective costumes.
+
+They came in for a lively share of approbation from Jerry and Ronny, of
+whom they were equally admiring in turn. Inquiring for Marjorie, they
+were shown the note and Jerry again went over the information she had
+given Ronny.
+
+"That note doesn't sound a bit like Anna Towne," Lucy said in her
+close-lipped manner as she laid it down. "I know her quite well, for she
+takes biology and has come to me several times for help. She is awfully
+proud and tries never to put one to any trouble."
+
+"This may be something that has come upon her so suddenly she hasn't
+known what to do except to send for Marjorie," hazarded Katherine. "I
+agree with you, Lucy. It does not sound like her."
+
+Another series of knocks at the door broke in upon the conversation.
+"Wonder if that's Muriel." Jerry turned to the door. "She may have
+changed her mind about not letting us know what she was going to mask
+as."
+
+The door opened. Jerry gave an ejaculation of undiluted surprise. The
+girl who stood on the threshold was Anna Towne.
+
+"Come in, Miss Towne." Jerry stepped aside for her unexpected caller to
+enter. "Have you seen Marjorie?"
+
+"Why, no. I haven't seen anyone except the maid who answered the door. I
+came over to see if I could go to the masquerade with you girls. Phyllis
+and a crowd of Silvertons went out to parade. I didn't care about it, so
+I thought I would come over here."
+
+"Wha-a-t!" Jerry was almost shouting. Ronny, Katherine and Lucy were the
+picture of blank amazement.
+
+"What's the matter?" Anna Towne flushed deeply. She did not understand
+the meaning of Jerry's loud exclamation. Perhaps she had presumed in
+thus breaking in upon the chums.
+
+"Matter! I don't know what's the matter, but I am going to find out.
+Read this note. You didn't write that, now did you?" Jerry thrust the
+note into Anna's hands.
+
+The room grew very still as she fastened her attention upon the
+communication, supposedly from herself.
+
+"Of course I never wrote it." Anna looked up wonderingly. Almost
+instantly her expression changed to one of alarm. "There is no one
+living at 852 on our street," she asserted. "My landlady has not moved.
+I still live at 856. I haven't had any trouble. I came here dressed for
+the masquerade. I'm wearing a Kate Greenaway costume. See. She took the
+silk scarf from her head disclosing a Kate Greenaway cap.
+
+"No one living there!" came in a breath of horror from Ronny. It was
+echoed by the other three Lookouts. "Then _who_ wrote that note and
+_what_ has happened to Marjorie?"
+
+"I am going to find out pretty suddenly." Jerry sprang to her dress
+closet for her fur coat and overshoes. "Go and get ready to go over to
+that house, girls. One, two, three, four--We are five strong. Get your
+wraps and meet me downstairs. I am going to see if I can't find Leila
+and Vera. You had better wait for me here, Miss Towne. I'll be back
+directly."
+
+Ten minutes later a bevy of white-faced girls met in the lower hall.
+Leila and Vera were among them. Jerry had met them just in the act of
+leaving for the gymnasium.
+
+"I'd go for my car but if would take longer to get it than for us to
+walk. We must make all haste. Now I have an idea of my own about this. I
+am not far off the truth when I say the Sans are to blame for the whole
+thing. I would rather think it was they than that the note had been
+written by some unknown person." Leila's blue eyes were dark with
+emotion. "And that beloved child trotted blindly off by herself never
+dreaming that the note was a forgery. Well, I might have done the same."
+
+"I think you are right, Leila. The Sans have planned some kind of seance
+at that empty house to scare Marjorie. Probably they have dressed up in
+some hideous fashion. They could easily get away with it on account of
+the masquerade. The sooner we get there the better. We may be able to
+catch them, unless they have got hold of her and hustled her off
+somewhere else." Ronny's voice was not quite steady on the last words.
+
+The seven worried rescuers were now crossing the campus and making for
+the campus entrance nearest the direction of Miss Towne's boarding
+house. They were swinging along at a pace that would have done credit to
+an army detachment on a hike.
+
+"She wouldn't stand for that. She would fight every inch of the ground
+before she would go a step with that gang." Jerry spoke with a
+confidence born of her knowledge of Marjorie.
+
+"They might be too many for her," reminded Leila. "What's to prevent
+them from throwing a shawl or something over her head so that she would
+be more or less helpless? I would not put it past Leslie Cairns."
+
+"They wouldn't dare be rough with her or hurt her, would they?"
+questioned Anna Towne.
+
+"No; but this empty house proposition is about as bad as I would care to
+tackle. They certainly have nerve." Jerry's plump features had lost
+their infantile expression. Here face was set in lines of belligerence.
+She was ready to pitch into the Sans the minute she caught sight of
+them.
+
+"This is the street. We are not far from the house now," informed Anna,
+as the seven turned into the humble neighborhood in which her boarding
+house was located.
+
+"Look!" Jerry, who was leading with Ronny, stopped and pointed. "There
+is a _light_ in that house. Let's stop a minute and decide what to do."
+
+"We had better go around to the rear of the house and see if we can't
+get in by the back door," suggested Vera. "After all, we are only seven
+in number, and we don't know what awaits us. We are fairly sure that she
+is in the clutches of the Sans. Even so, they are sure to have the front
+door locked. They are stupid enough to forget all about the back door.
+They are not expecting any interference."
+
+"You girls go around to the back. I am going up on the veranda. I shall
+try the front door. If it is unlocked I will let you know. I'd rather
+walk in on them that way, if we can. Now for some scouting. Don't make a
+sound if you can help it, girls. We want to take them by surprise."
+
+Separating from her companions, who stole noiselessly to the shadowy
+rear of the house, Jerry cautiously invaded the front porch. The shade
+which had been raised a little when Marjorie had come to the house was
+now drawn. Still she could see that the room on the right was lighted.
+With the stealth of a burglar she tried the door. It was locked. She
+listened at it, then stood up with a triumphant smile. From within she
+could hear the sound of voices.
+
+As softly as she had stolen up on the porch, she now withdrew. Her feet
+on the ground, she ran like a deer for the rear of the house. There she
+beheld dimly a group of figures drawn into a compact bunch near the back
+steps.
+
+"Front door's locked. How about the back one?" she breathed.
+
+"It's unlocked. Ronny just tried it," Leila whispered. "She says she can
+open it and go inside without making a sound."
+
+"Of course. She's a great dancer, you know, and light as a feather in
+stepping. Oh, fudge! You don't know. At least you didn't until I told
+you. I have given away Ronny's secret. She made us promise not to tell
+it right after the beauty contest. I don't care. I am glad you know it.
+I have always wished you and Helen and Vera could see her dance. She is
+a marvel."
+
+At this juncture Ronny joined them. In the darkness she did not see
+Leila's Cheshire cat grin, born of Jerry's unintentional betrayal. Leila
+had often remarked to Marjorie, who had told her of Ronny's concealment
+of her real identity at Sanford High School, that Veronica was a good
+deal of a mystery still.
+
+"That you, Jeremiah?" was Ronny's whispered inquiry. "I am going to slip
+in the back way and find out what is going on. Was the front door
+locked?"
+
+"Yes; but I could hear voices from where I stood on the veranda. I
+couldn't sort 'em out so as to know who was who."
+
+"I'll soon find out whose they are." Ronny shut her lips in sharp
+determination. "Now for the great venture." Immediately she glided away,
+and mounted the steps with the noiseless tread of an apparition. The
+tense watchers heard no sound as she opened the door and stepped
+inside.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+THE BITER BITTEN.
+
+
+For five minutes they waited in silence. It seemed to them much longer
+than that when, quietly as she had gone, Ronny re-appeared on the top
+step of the dingy little porch.
+
+"She's in there," were her first words on reaching the waiting group.
+"We are just in time to make it interesting for the Sans. Now listen to
+my plan. What we are to do is this. I have this long black cloak and my
+mask. It's black too. I am going to scare those girls within an inch of
+their wretched lives. They are masked and in dominoes. You can imagine
+what Marjorie went through for a minute. I know a dance called the dance
+of the vampire bat. It is terribly, _horribly_ gruesome. I am going to
+prance in on them with that. I have danced it in this very cloak. See
+how full it is." Ronny held up a fold for inspection. "I can make it
+look like wings. Then with the dance goes a very scary noise, half sigh,
+half whistle. By that dim candlelight in there it will be awful.
+Marjorie won't be scared. She has seen me dance it.
+
+"The rest of you follow me," Ronny continued rapidly. "Leila you come
+first, right behind me. Stop at the door where you can't be seen from
+inside of the front room and line up behind Leila, girls. Count fifty,
+Leila, after I am fairly in the room, then start that awful banshee wail
+you know how to give. At the first sound of it I am going to blow out
+the candle. Then the Sans are going to take to the woods. The minute I
+blow the last candle I shall grab Marjorie by the hand and flee for the
+back door. As soon as Leila has wailed twice every one of you make the
+most horrible sound you know as loudly as you can and hustle for the
+back door howling as you go. They will all try to get out the front door
+and in the darkness they will have a fine time of it. If they get a few
+bumps and scratches in the dark it will serve them precisely right. What
+you must be sure of is to get out of their way the instant the last
+candle is put out by yours truly. The whole thing must be carried out
+like a flash. I depend on your support."
+
+"You are a wonder," chuckled Leila. "My stars, what a party we shall
+have, with vampire bats, banshees and the like. We shall howl our best
+for Beauty. Vera makes a fine banshee, too. Now lead us on and confusion
+to the enemy."
+
+Headed by Ronny the rescuing procession stole up the steps. They landed
+in the kitchen of the house and made their way through it and into the
+room adjoining which communicated with the short hall on both sides of
+which the two front rooms were situated.
+
+Due to Leslie Cairns' shrewd business methods the "high tribunal" stood
+in no fear of interruption. Leslie, finding the house vacant, had rented
+it of the agent for six months. She had stated that a few of the
+students intended to fit it up as a private gymnasium. As the agent's
+mind dwelt only on the glorious fact that he had been handed six months'
+rental in advance, after charging a rate per month which was three times
+more than the house was worth. Beyond that he was not interested in the
+tenants.
+
+The august tribunal had taken pains to lock the front door after them.
+Due to a squabble among themselves on their arrival at the house, the
+back door had remained unlocked. Dulcie Vale had been roughly ordered by
+Leslie to see to it. Dulcie was sulking, however, at Leslie's
+high-handed manner. She resolved to take her time about it. Then her
+interest centered on something else, momentarily, and she forgot it.
+
+About the time that the worried rescuers were starting from Wayland
+Hall, Marjorie was throwing fearless defiance in the faces of her
+captors. Her contemptuous arraignment, ending with an allusion to the
+affair on the campus of the previous March, was highly displeasing to
+her masked listeners. Angry murmurs arose from behind masks and several
+sibilant hisses cut the storm-laden air.
+
+"Ssss! Death! Show no mercy!" were some of the pleasant returns that met
+Marjorie's ear.
+
+The Scarlet Mask, thus-called, made a sudden move toward Marjorie as
+though to lay violent hold upon her. The other masked figures also took
+a step nearer. Marjorie braced herself to meet an attack, if it came to
+that. There was a steady light in her brown eyes which the Scarlet Mask
+did not miss seeing. She contented herself with stopping short directly
+in front of Marjorie and staring fixedly at her. The effect of two
+malignant eyes peering through the eye-holes of the hideous false face
+would have been terrifying to a timid girl. Marjorie was not to be
+intimidated.
+
+"Prisoner, your remarks are unseemly and ill befit your serious
+situation." It was evident the wily intention of the Scarlet Mask to
+ignore the guilty truth which Marjorie had flung at the masked
+assemblage. "You are one against many. It is not the purpose of the high
+tribunal to allow you to escape. You are at our mercy until such time as
+we shall choose to release you. You are pleased to pretend that our
+identity is known to you. You little know those before whom you now
+stand. You are in the presence of a group of stern avengers, sworn to
+see justice done to those whom you have maligned. Were we to remove our
+masks you would find yourself in the company of strangers. We know you.
+You do not know us. I warn----"
+
+"Save your warnings, Miss Cairns. I am not in the least interested in
+them," interrupted Marjorie with dry contempt. "You might be able to
+make a child of nine years believe you. I doubt even that. I have heard
+of this foolishness. Malicious as it is intended to be, it is too
+trivial to be deceiving. You will kindly unlock the front door and let
+me go."
+
+A subdued chorus of derisive laughter, mingled with hisses arose from
+the "stern avengers." One of the tallest stepped out from the circle,
+which they had gradually been forming about Marjorie, and bowed low
+before the Scarlet Mask.
+
+"I recommend, your highness, that the prisoner be taught at once proper
+respect for the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask." The request was made
+in a voice that aspired to bass depths. It fell short enough of them for
+Marjorie to identify it as feminine, although she did not know to whom
+it belonged. She had had so slight an acquaintance with the Sans from
+the beginning.
+
+"The prisoner will be taught proper respect immediately," vindictively
+assured the Scarlet Mask. Up went a scarlet-draped arm in an imperious
+gesture to a domino directly behind Marjorie.
+
+Like a flash, Marjorie whirled about to guard herself. It was precisely
+what the Scarlet Mask wished her to do. In the instant she turned the
+figure nearest the leader whisked something white from the voluminous
+folds of her domino. Marjorie felt herself being enveloped from head to
+waist in what seemed to be the heavy open meshes of a veil. It was, in
+reality, a large piece of fish net. She struggled furiously to free
+herself from it. While she struggled with two of the figures who were
+attempting to hold her, a third was busy securing the net in a hard knot
+at her back. As Marjorie was wearing a fur coat and cap, her attire was
+sufficiently bulky to prevent the net from being drawn very close. She
+had taken off her mask the moment she had left the campus behind her, so
+she could at least breathe without difficulty.
+
+Not content with the indignity they had trickily put upon her, two of
+the dominoes caught her by the shoulders and began forcing her toward a
+corner of the room. The others followed, closing in upon the trio, so
+that the silent, but still wrathfully-struggling prisoner would have no
+chance to make a sudden dash for the door when released.
+
+The Scarlet Mask, now at the edge of the crowd which hemmed Marjorie in,
+elbowed a rough way to where she stood.
+
+"How do you like our methods now, prisoner?" was the satirical question.
+"You are going to leave us _at once_, are you? Why don't you go? 'You
+will kindly unlock the front door,' etc. Oh, my! Naturally we would be
+keen on doing so after the pains we took to secure your distinguished
+attendance here tonight. How very sweet you look behind a veil. Too bad
+you don't wear one all the time. You would----"
+
+"May it please your highness," interrupted a domino in hollow tones,
+"the time is going. I would advise that we leave here at once with the
+prisoner. A ride in the still night air may cool her fevered brain so
+that when we return with her she will be in a more reasonable mood."
+
+"I am also of that opinion," agreed a second. Several other voices rose
+in approval of the plan.
+
+The Scarlet Mask turned on them in a hurry. Not only angry at being
+interrupted in her harassing of the prisoner, she did not propose to
+take any dictation from her companions.
+
+"Who is running this affair?" she asked in the familiar tones of Leslie
+Cairns, minus her drawl. "This little, puffed-up hypocrite is not going
+to leave here until she promises to mind her own business hereafter.
+She is also going to promise not to tell where she has been tonight. She
+may think she won't, but she will, or spend the rest of the night alone
+here."
+
+A murmur of dissenting voices at once ascended. Half a dozen dominoes
+tried to force an opinion upon the Scarlet Mask at once. Eager to be
+heard, there was small attempt made at disguising voices.
+
+"You idiots!" Leslie rebuked in a rage, when finally able to make
+herself heard. "Have you no sense? Listen to me." Whereupon she centered
+her displeased attention on her helpers and berated them roundly for
+daring to set up an opinion contrary to her own.
+
+The dissenting dominoes were not to be silenced thus easily and a
+spirited altercation began. There were several of the masked company who
+were hotly against a punishment such as their leader proposed to visit
+upon Marjorie. Meanwhile, the cause of the altercation listened to what
+went on with emotions which were a mingling of wrath and amusement. If
+she had needed evidence to convince her that her captors were the Sans,
+she had it now. She knew from Leila that the Sans were noted for
+quarreling among themselves.
+
+After the violent manner in which she had been jerked into the
+untenanted house, she had not doubted that she might meet with further
+rough treatment. She knew that Leslie Cairns was quite apt to go as far
+as she dared. She resolved to show, no fear of her captors. She disliked
+intensely the idea of hand to hand encounter with them. It was utterly
+beneath her standards. Still she did not hesitate to warn them that she
+would defend herself if forced to do so. Once she was free of them she
+had not decided what she would do, further than that she would set off
+for the gymnasium post haste. Even before the unmasking her chums would
+miss her. If only she could reach the dance prior to that!
+
+"S--hh! Keep your voices down!" warned a domino who had taken no part in
+the ill-natured discussion. "I believe you can be heard clear out in the
+street."
+
+"Mind your business," snapped the Scarlet Mask. "I pay the rent here.
+It's nobody's business how much noise we make. Who amounts to a button
+on this alley? Don't be so cowardly. Even Bean has more nerve than you."
+
+This produced a laugh at "Bean's" expense. Behind her enforced veil
+Marjorie could not repress a noiseless chuckle. How she wished that
+someone would hear her captors and come to her assistance. No such thing
+was likely to happen.
+
+The admonishing domino, hitherto peaceful, now took umbrage. "You can't
+tell me to mind my own business or call me a coward," she stormily
+hurled at the scarlet executive. "You make me exceedingly weary!" Her
+further candid opinion was not calculated to flatter.
+
+"What you need is a midnight session here with Miss Bean," declared the
+Scarlet Mask, with a touch of cool purpose which caused the angry domino
+to flare up afresh.
+
+"Try it, and see what happens to you," was her instant retort.
+
+"Oh, forget it. I merely said you needed it. I didn't say you would be
+left here. You are the last person I expected would go back on me." This
+with intent to mollify.
+
+"Well, you shouldn't have----" The somewhat placated rebel suddenly
+paused. "Hark!" She held up a hand for silence. "I thought I heard a
+noise."
+
+"Someone going by in the street," the Scarlet Mask asserted, after
+listening attentively for a moment. At the ejaculation "Hark!" the eyes
+of the other maskers had been directed with one accord to the door.
+After a brief interval of uneasy silence the discussion regarding the
+prisoner was resumed.
+
+The recently ruffled avenger who had given the alarm still continued to
+watch the door. She was not satisfied with her leader's explanation of
+the sound. Thus she was the first to note a shadow fall athwart the
+doorway. Her eyes widened with fear to behold an odd, black, winged
+shape hover an instant on the threshold, then flit noiselessly into the
+room. It did not advance on the group collected in one corner of the
+room. It lurched and dipped toward the windows like a huge sable hawk
+about to swoop down on a chicken yard.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+APPARITION OF THE NIGHT.
+
+
+"A-h-h-h!" gasped the startled watcher, pointing in horror.
+
+"Wh-h-s-s-ss!" The gruesome apparition uttered a sighing, hissing sound
+which increased in a weird, half-muffled whistle. Simultaneous with the
+whistle it darted to the nearest candle, extinguishing it with one
+whining "Puf-f-f!" With horrid grotesquerie it flapped toward another
+candle, bent on putting it out.
+
+The hood of the voluminous soft black cape which Ronny was wearing was
+slightly frilled. She had cunningly adjusted it so as to give her masked
+features an entirely different effect from that of an ordinary domino
+and mask. A moment's calm inspection would have assured the hazing party
+that the uncanny visitant was as human as themselves. Her spectacular
+entrance coupled with the one domino's fear-stricken alarm, had produced
+upon the hazers the precise effect Ronny had expected to produce. Too
+greatly startled to take action, a wild, long-drawn, piercing wailing
+next set in which was not quieting to the nerves. Nor had it ceased when
+a second eerie voice took it up in a higher key.
+
+By the dim flare of the one remaining lighted candle, the flapping,
+swaying shape and its hideous moaning whistle became invested with fresh
+dread, augmented as it was by that volume of ear-piercing echoing sound.
+Suddenly the last candle winked out, leaving the dismayed avengers in
+Stygian darkness. Their sharp cries and frightened exclamations were
+summarily drowned, however, by a new pandemonium of blood-curdling
+shrieks and groans which proceeded from the hall. Through the half open
+door leading into the hall came a menacing shuffle as of countless
+approaching feet. It was the final touch needed to demoralize the
+hazers. Forgetful of the two front windows, they bolted with one accord
+for the door opening into the hall, as nearly as each could locate it in
+the dark. Had a real enemy been present the hazers would have run
+straight into the arms of the hostile force. Their one idea was to get
+out of the house with all speed. As it was they showed a temerity born
+of panic.
+
+In the midst of the hub-bub, Marjorie had experienced nothing more than
+a faint stirring of alarm at sight of the bat-like apparition. She knew
+Ronny instantly, and, guessing her purpose, prudently drew far back
+into the corner.
+
+"Come with me." Marjorie now felt the joy of a familiar arm across her
+shoulders. "The window. I just opened it. Quick," breathed Ronny. "I'll
+steer you to it. We must get away before they open the front door. It's
+locked and they will have their own troubles unlocking it in the dark."
+
+In a flash the two had crossed the room to the open window. The moment
+she had extinguished the last candle Ronny had flitted to the window and
+raised it under cover of the stampede. Through the fish net which
+enveloped her Marjorie could see a little, in spite of the shadow cast
+by the veranda.
+
+"Can you use your arms enough through that net to help swing yourself
+over the sill? It is very low."
+
+"I can manage," Marjorie softly reassured.
+
+Standing behind her, Ronny gave her chum such assistance as she could
+while Marjorie essayed a swift exit from the room which had lately
+prisoned her. The instant she found footing on the veranda, Ronny
+followed her. Catching Marjorie by the arm she said: "Run for the back
+of the house. I forgot to tell the girls where to meet us. I think they
+will wait for us there."
+
+A few running steps brought them to the rear of the house. A little
+group of dark figures hurried forward to meet them. The six girls had
+got away from the house without trouble.
+
+"All's well," Ronny was smiling in the darkness out of sheer
+satisfaction. "Let's go at once. We had better cross the next three back
+yards and come out to the street from between them. Hurry. We haven't a
+second to lose. We ought not talk until we are on the campus again."
+
+Silently, and with all speed, the elated fugitives put Ronny's advice
+into practice. Once in the street they proceeded north, putting distance
+between them and the Sans' rendezvous. It was a trifle farther to the
+campus by the way they took, but none of them minded that. All were too
+full of elation over the success of their adventure to think of much
+else.
+
+"The campus at last!" exclaimed Leila as the rescue party reached the
+gateway. "Let us stop just inside the gate and untie Beauty. She looks
+like a veiled Oriental in that rigging." Suiting the action to the word
+she began on the hard knot at Marjorie's back. "While I work, keep a
+sharp lookout for the other crowd," she directed. "This knot is no
+simple affair. What time is it, Luciferous?"
+
+"Fifteen minutes past nine." Lucy held her wrist so that the rays of the
+arc light over the gate fell directly upon her watch.
+
+"Untied; thank my stars! Some knot!" Leila flipped the undesired net
+from Marjorie. Rolling it up she tucked it under her arm. "Unmasking is
+at nine-thirty. Let us be there. We can just make it, and it will puzzle
+some persons to tell who interrupted them tonight. Our talk will wait
+until after unmasking. Then we can dodge into one of the side rooms and
+have it out."
+
+"A fine plan," endorsed Ronny. "We are in luck to get here in time
+enough for the unmasking."
+
+The others heartily agreeing, the octette again set off in a hurry for
+the gymnasium. Five minutes afterward they were entering its welcome
+portal. They were obliged to make a frantic dash for the coat room. Once
+there, wraps and overshoes were removed with gleeful haste. The belated
+masqueraders entered the gymnasium just as the last, lingering strains
+of a waltz were being played. It had hardly died away when the
+stentorian order "Unmask!" was shouted out by a junior through a
+megaphone.
+
+"Here's where Muriel wins that dinner at Baretti's," declared Jerry
+ruefully. "I certainly did not walk up to her and say, 'Hello, Muriel.'
+Wonder where she is? I haven't the least idea what her costume is."
+
+"For the sake of old Ireland!" called Leila, pointing. "Now will you
+kindly take notice?"
+
+A little shout of laughter burst from the participants in the recent
+adventure as they obeyed Leila's exclamatory request. Coming toward them
+at a carefully simulated stride was a handsome young man in evening
+dress. From his silk opera hat to his patent leather ties he was a most
+elegant person. He was not a particularly gallant youth, however, for
+his first words on approaching the mirthful group were:
+
+"Don't, for goodness' sake, ask me to take off my hat. How about that
+dinner you promised me, Jeremiah?"
+
+"Yes, I _guess_ so. Oh, but you are polite! Greet us with your hat on
+and beg for a dinner invitation. My, my! What are the young men of the
+present day coming to?" Jerry held up her hands in mock disapproval.
+"Anyway, you win. Your costume is a dandy. I never would have known
+you."
+
+"What may your name be, young man?" inquired Leila, her eyes dancing.
+
+"You may call me Mr. Harding. I shall not tell you my first name until I
+know you better," replied Muriel with an attempt at pompous dignity
+which ended in a hearty laugh. Setting her high hat on the back of her
+head she thrust her hands in her pockets and beamed on her friends.
+
+"You look for all the world like a debonair young man," Marjorie said
+admiringly.
+
+"Thank you. Sorry about my hat. To take it off spoils the masculine
+effect. My hair is rolled under to look short. My hat keeps it in place.
+But never mind about me. Where have you girls been? I knew what your
+costumes were to be, so I watched for you from the minute I got here.
+Confess; you wore dominos over them so that I wouldn't know you. A
+number of girls did that on purpose to throw their friends off the
+track."
+
+"Wrong guess, Muriel. We weren't here at all until about two minutes
+before the unmasking." Jerry tried to speak carelessly, but could not
+keep an excited note out of her voice.
+
+"You _weren't_? Honestly?" Muriel showed bewildered surprise. "You
+weren't in dominos? Then where were you? Something's happened. I can
+read that in your faces." She glanced almost challengingly about the
+half circle.
+
+"Something happened, all right enough," replied Jerry with grim
+emphasis. "Marjorie has been through a real adventure tonight. She's
+been hazed by the Sans and rescued by the Lookouts and a few more good
+scouts."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+AFTER THE FRAY.
+
+
+Closeted in one of the small rooms off the gymnasium, rescuers and
+rescued told their separate tales of what had happened that evening.
+Muriel was the only other girl at the private session they held. She
+heartily mourned the fact that she had not been with her chums. Even the
+glories of parading about in masculine attire faded beside the evening's
+adventure.
+
+"What are you going to do about it, Beauty?" Leila asked almost sharply,
+when the affair had been thoroughly gone over from both standpoints.
+Dressed as Finestra, a Celtic witch woman, Leila made a striking figure
+in her white and green robes as she sat on the low wall bench, hands
+loosely clasped over one knee, her vivid features alive with
+disapproval.
+
+"I don't know. Nothing, I guess." Marjorie smiled into Leila's moody
+face. "It will scare them worse just to leave them in doubt as to
+whether or not they will be called to account. I can't prove that those
+dominos were the Sans, for I didn't see their faces. Of course, if I
+accused them of hazing me, in making a report to President Matthews,
+they would probably be summoned and put through an inquiry. In that case
+some of them would be certain to weaken and confess."
+
+"True," Leila nodded. "Dr. Matthews would be hard on them. He is so
+bitterly opposed to hazing. It would stir up a great commotion. They
+would be expelled. They ought to be," she added with force.
+
+"Certainly they ought," concurred Jerry, "but who cares to be the one to
+report 'em? I was thinking out the whole thing when we made our get-away
+from that house. They don't know and they are never going to, unless we
+tell them, who Ronny was or who did the howling. When they experience a
+return of brains, for they certainly were rattled, they will naturally
+guess that the surprise came from students. What they won't be able to
+figure out is whether they were hazed by another crowd or by Marjorie's
+supporters."
+
+"They couldn't be sure that Marjorie would not leave word with some of
+us as to where she was going," put in Lucy, "even though someone did put
+that line in the letter asking her not to mention it."
+
+"They must have had high ideas of her sense of honor," smiled Vera.
+
+"I felt queer about telling the Lookouts, yet I believed it fair,"
+Marjorie said quietly. "I am glad I did. And now let's forget it and go
+and have a good time. We really ought to enjoy ourselves hugely, for I
+doubt whether a single Sans will appear on the scene tonight. If they do
+it will be late. I hope none of them were hurt in the dark," she added
+charitably.
+
+"Their fault if they were." Leila rose, her brooding face lighting
+suddenly. "You have a most forgiving heart, Beauty. As for myself, a few
+sound bumps will do them no harm. Make no mistake. Those of the Sans who
+are presentable," she smiled broadly, "will get here as soon as they
+can. All of them absent would be a grand expose. Some must appear to
+take the curse off the wounded."
+
+At that very moment the members of the high tribunal of the Scarlet Mask
+were engaged in trying to make themselves presentable enough to attend
+the dance. A crestfallen and weary company of avengers, they had at last
+made harbor at Wayland Hall. Miss Remson had retired early on account of
+a severe cold. The dance having claimed the other residents of the Hall,
+there was no one to mark the line of dominos which stole cat-footed up
+the stairs. There was considerable repairing to be done both to persons
+and costumes before the Sans could appear in college society. In that
+mad scramble to leave the dingy house, which Leslie Cairns had rented
+with so much satisfaction, there had been casualties.
+
+Natalie Weyman's cheek bore a long disfiguring scratch, caused from a
+too near contact with a fancy pin or ornament. A jab from someone's
+elbow had decorated Dulcie Vale with a black eye. Leslie Cairns, who had
+essayed to unlock the front door in the dark, declared resentfully that
+she had received more kicks, thumps and bruises than all the others had
+put together. Due to the fact that the whole party had worn flat-heeled,
+black leather slippers, which had been purchased in the men's department
+of a Hamilton shoe store, the casualties were less serious. Leslie had
+insisted on this measure as a further means of disguising their sex. The
+hazers had worn their masquerade costumes under their dominos, having
+been told by Leslie that they would not be more than an hour at the
+untenanted house. They could easily drop into the Hall and change
+slippers on their return. It had been Leslie's private intention to
+leave Marjorie there all night. Joan Myers, Natalie Weyman and Dulcie
+Vale knew this. The others did not. Hence the objections which had
+arisen, resulting in the quarrel that had been their undoing.
+
+There was not one of the hazing party who had entirely escaped injury.
+Tender toes had been trampled upon, jarring jolts administered, and
+scratches and bruises distributed _ad libitum_. Leslie was outwardly
+morose. Her inner emotions were too complex to be analyzed. They were a
+mixture of hate, fear, baffled pride and humiliation. The cherished
+scheme, concocted by her in the autumn, and on which she had spent so
+much time and money, had utterly fallen through. Exposure and disgrace
+stared herself and her companions in the face. Had not Marjorie
+contemptuously called her by name? While she could not prove her
+surmise, she could report the Sans on suspicion to Doctor Matthews.
+
+Now that it was all over, Leslie realized bitterly that she and her
+companions had behaved like a flock of demoralized geese. She had been
+as badly startled as the others by the appearance of the bat-like
+figure. She had recently read a very horrible tale entitled "The Bat
+Girl." It had haunted her for several nights after the reading. Ronny's
+clever imitation of a huge bat had momentarily paralyzed her with fear.
+The unearthly shrieks, wails and moans had also served the purpose of
+the invaders. Leslie sullenly wished her own plan had been half as well
+carried out. It was all the fault of her pals. They were always
+disagreeing. They never worked together. They never exhibited good sense
+in an emergency. Leslie decided that they should bear the blame for the
+fiasco. They would hear from her in scathing terms when she felt equal
+to upbraiding them.
+
+She had been the first one to reach the front door. Feeling for the key,
+which was in the lock, she had fumbled it and dropped it on the floor.
+As she had stooped to pick it up, she had been knocked to her knees by
+the onrush of the others. Callously, she had struck right and left for
+room to get to her feet. The key had remained on the floor. Knowing that
+she could not secure it until the wild onslaught on the door had
+stopped, she had tried frantically to make herself heard above the
+hub-bub. It was of no use.
+
+Presently the panic-stricken Sans had begun to understand her
+hoarsely-shouted words: "Stand still. The key's dropped to the floor."
+By that time the wails of the invaders had ceased and their footsteps
+had died out. An odd silence had suddenly descended upon the Sans. Very
+meekly they had obeyed Leslie's rude order, "Get out of my way," as she
+had turned on a small flashlight and located the key. The door opened
+at last, not a word had been spoken as the dominoed procession filed out
+into the starry night. Leslie had stepped out first. Stationing herself
+on the veranda, she had counted them as they passed, to be sure none
+were missing. "Save your talking until you get to the Hall," she had
+curtly commanded. "Down the street and hustle for the campus. Keep
+together."
+
+Bruised and sore, the avengers had again obeyed her without much
+protest. Dulcie Vale had attempted a belligerent remark but had been
+promptly silenced by: "You had better keep still. You are the person who
+claimed she locked the back door. If so, how, then, did that mob of
+freaks get in? I don't believe they had a key."
+
+Leslie had not condescended to speak again until they had reached the
+Hall. At the foot of the drive she had halted her party and given them
+further curt orders as to their manner of procedure. Her final
+instruction had been: "Get ready for the dance, then come to my room.
+Wear evening coats. It is too late for dominos now. The unmasking is
+over long ago. If you're asked any questions simply say we had a dinner
+engagement before the dance; that we thought it fun to dress in costume
+but did not care to mask. Now remember, that _goes_."
+
+It was half-past ten o'clock before the entire eighteen gathered in
+Leslie's room. Both Natalie's and Dulcie's facial disfigurements were
+such as to prevent their attendance of the dance. Leslie laughed
+outright at sight of Dulcie. "You _are_ pretty," she jeered. Dulcie's
+wrath rose, but she swallowed it. She did not care to be taxed further
+about the trust she had betrayed. Margaret Wayne had twisted her right
+ankle almost to the point of sprain. Harriet Stephens had a lump on her
+forehead, caused by a forcible collision with the wall. Eleanor Ray
+limped slightly from having her toes stepped on. These five declined
+stoutly to leave the Hall again that night.
+
+"You can't very well go; that's flat," Leslie agreed. "I ought to stay
+here, too. See that." She turned her back, displaying a large
+discoloration on one shoulder about two inches above the low-cut bodice
+of the old gold satin evening gown she wore. She had not troubled
+herself to dress in costume. "That's what happened to me when you girls
+knocked me down and tried to walk on me. It is up to me to go over to
+the gym. I'll wear a gold lace scarf I have. This will hide this bruise.
+All of you who look like something had better go with me. I don't know
+what Bean will do. No matter what she tells or how far she goes, you
+girls are to deny to the end that you were at that house tonight. No
+one saw our faces. Who, then is going to say, positively, that she saw
+us, either at that house or on the campus? If we all say we were _not_
+the ones who hazed Bean, _and stick to it_, I defy the whole college to
+prove it against us."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE BITTERNESS OF DEFEAT.
+
+
+What "Bean" intended to do in the matter of her recent hazing was a
+question which worried the Sans considerably during the next few days.
+The very fact that they had escaped, thus far, without even having been
+quizzed by any of the students regarding that fateful evening puzzled
+them. True, they suspected Marjorie's four chums and Leila and Vera as
+having been among those who broke up the hazing party. They cherished an
+erroneous belief, however, that there were at least fifteen or twenty of
+the invaders.
+
+It was gall and wormwood to those of the Sans who attended the dance in
+its closing hour to see Marjorie, radiantly pretty, enjoying herself as
+though she had never been through a trying experience only three hours
+before. By common consent the rescue party, as well as Marjorie, paid no
+more attention to the Sans than if they had not been present. The dance
+had been such an unusually pleasant affair! More than one girl remarked
+early in the evening to her closest friends that things went along so
+much better when a certain clique of girls were absent. The Sans' junior
+classmates were not pleased at their late attendance of the masquerade.
+They criticized the Sans as selfish and lacking in proper class spirit.
+Thus the Sans fashioned a new rod that night for their backs of which
+they were destined later to feel the sting.
+
+The day following the masquerade the sophomore team sent the junior team
+an acceptance of their challenge. This mystified the Sans five even
+more. Under the circumstances they had expected and even hoped their
+challenge would be declined. A refusal on the part of the sophomore team
+to play them would give them an opportunity to intimate that their
+opponents were afraid to meet them for fear of being beaten. Deep in
+their hearts the Sans five were the real cowards. They dreaded playing
+against Marjorie and Muriel in particular. As Leslie gloomily said to
+Natalie, "Bean and that Harding snip will certainly get back at you if
+they can. I imagine Robina Page was one of that crowd who gave us the
+run."
+
+Leslie had been terribly out of sorts since the failure of her plot. She
+did not know where she stood at Hamilton as regarded safety. She was
+highly disgruntled by the lack of cordiality shown her and her chums by
+many students whom she had considered friendly to her. It was being
+forced upon her, little by little, that the Sans were losing ground.
+They had sworn to win back their lost power of the previous year. They
+had not done this. Now the game with the sophomores must be played and
+she was not in the mood to coach her team, nor were they in the mood to
+play. She doubted if they would dare make use of "the soft talk." The
+freshman team had expressed themselves quite openly on that subject
+about the campus. When taxed with it once or twice by juniors who had
+learned of it and deferred judgment, Leslie had replied with sarcastic
+bravado that the freshies had evidently "heard things" during the game
+which no one else heard.
+
+The game being scheduled for the twenty-seventh of February, Leslie
+allowed her bruised and shaken team three days' rest. After that time
+she fairly drove them to private practice. She pestered Ramsey, the
+coach, for new and sure methods of winning points from an antagonist
+until he resolved within himself to "beat it" for New York on the day of
+the game and leave no address. He had received a lump sum in advance for
+his coaching, so he had no scruples about deserting the ship.
+
+Her five satellites complained bitterly at having to practice every day.
+All of them had received warnings in one subject or another and needed
+their time for study. Leslie was adamant. "Just this one game," she said
+over and over again. "After that we will settle down to work. I am not
+doing as well as I ought in my subjects. But you must play the sophs and
+beat them if you can. Don't try any of those new stunts Ramsey showed
+you unless you can put them over so cleverly no one will know the
+difference. You will have to be careful. You have a touchy proposition
+to tackle."
+
+Alarmed at the gradual decrease in their own popularity, the Sans five
+practiced assiduously during the week preceding the game. They hoped to
+make a good showing on their own merits. The coach glibly assured them
+that they were doing wonderful work with the ball. Toward the last of
+their practice they began to believe it themselves.
+
+They continued to believe thus until after the first five minutes of the
+game on the following Saturday. With the gymnasium filled by a clamorous
+aggregation of students, the toss-up was made and the game begun. The
+sophomore five took the lead from the first and put the Sans five
+through a pace that made them fairly gasp. All thought of cheating
+abandoned, they fought desperately to score. They were not allowed to
+make a single point. Behind the resolution of the sophs to win they
+demonstrated a peculiarly personal antagonistic force which their
+opponents felt, dimly at first, keenly afterward. It was the fastest
+game that had been played for many a year at Hamilton and it ended in a
+complete whitewash for the juniors. They retired from the floor too
+utterly vanquished to do other than indulge in a dismal cry in concert
+once the door of their dressing room had closed upon them.
+
+Thus Leslie found them. Signally discouraged, she experienced a
+momentary desire to cry with them. She fought it down, gruffly advising
+her chums not to cry their eyes out in case they might need them later.
+
+"Don't be so simple," was her barren consolation. "You don't see me
+bathed in salt weeps, do you? No, sir. Forget basket ball. I swear I'll
+never have anything more to do with it. I'll send that Ramsey packing
+tomorrow. From now on, I'm going to keep up in my classes and after
+classes enjoy myself. If we can't run the college _now_, that's no sign
+we never will. We can be exclusive. There are enough of us to do that. I
+don't believe Bean and her crowd are going to tell any tales on us. For
+the rest of the year we'll just amuse ourselves in our own way."
+
+"It's almost a year since we started to rag Miss Dean and had so much
+trouble over that affair," half-sobbed Dulcie Vale. "You are always
+making plans to get even with someone you don't like, Leslie Cairns, and
+dragging us into them. You never win. You always get the worst of it. I
+don't intend to go into any more such schemes with you. My father said
+if ever I was expelled from college he would make me take a position in
+his office. Think of that!" Dulcie's voice rose to a scream.
+
+"He did? Well, don't tell everybody in the gym about it," Leslie
+advised, then laughed. Her laughter was echoed in quavering fashion by
+the other weepers. Under their false and petty ideas of life there was
+still so much of the eagerness of girlhood to be liked, to succeed and
+to be happy. Only they were obstinately traveling the wrong road in
+search of it.
+
+Out in the gymnasium the winning team were being carried about the great
+room on the shoulders of admiring and noisy fans. Marjorie smiled to
+herself as she reflected that this was a pleasant ending of her
+basket-ball days. She had firmly determined not to play during the next
+year. Standing among her teammates afterward, surrounded by a circle of
+enthusiastic fans, it was borne upon her that she knew a great many
+Hamilton girls. She had not thought her friendly acquaintances among
+them so large.
+
+"You did what Muriel said you folks would do," Jerry exulted, when,
+congratulations over, Muriel and Marjorie were free to join their chums.
+"You laid the junies up for the winter. That team must have been crazy
+to challenge you. They played well, for them. Against your five--good
+night! A whitewash! Think of it!"
+
+"They deserved it." Marjorie's eyes lost their smiling light. The curves
+of her red lips straightened a trifle. "We paid them for ragging the
+freshies. They have had two hard defeats inside of two weeks. They ought
+to retire on them. They are lucky in that we haven't made trouble for
+them. Between you and me, Jeremiah, the Sans are not gaining an inch at
+Hamilton. The juniors are peeved with them for not taking proper
+interest in the Valentine dance. Many of the seniors disapprove of them,
+particularly since the game they won dishonestly from the freshies. Only
+a handful of the sophs cling to them. The freshies--I don't know. They
+are still about half Sans-bound. Just the same, democracy at Hamilton
+isn't on the wane. It's on the gain."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+ON MAY-DAY NIGHT.
+
+
+The whitewashing which the sophomore team gave the Sans five, who had so
+illy represented the juniors at basket ball, was a defeat the Sans found
+hard to endure. Adopting Leslie's advice, they carried their heads high
+and affected great exclusiveness. They also entered upon a career of
+lavish expenditure within their own circle calculated to attract and
+impress those who had formerly shown respect for them and their money.
+It was successful in a measure. They could be snobbish without trying.
+Nevertheless, they knew they had lost irretrievably. The backbone of
+their pernicious influence was broken.
+
+A warm and early spring brought the basket-ball season to a close sooner
+than usual. Despite Marjorie's resolve not to play again, she took part
+in one more game against the freshman. The sophs won by four points, but
+the freshies were such a gallant five, they came in for almost an equal
+amount of applause. They were dear to the hearts of the sports-loving
+element of students.
+
+As spring advanced with her thousand soft airs and graces, it seemed to
+Marjorie that a new era of good feeling had come to Hamilton College.
+
+"College is nearer my ideal of it than it used to be," she said to Jerry
+one bright afternoon in late April, as the two stood on the steps of the
+Hall waiting for Helen, Leila and Vera, who had gone to the garage for
+Leila's car. The five girls were going to Hamilton on a shopping
+expedition. The first of May at hand, the Lookouts and their intimates
+were going to follow the old custom of hanging May baskets. Leila had
+proposed it. The others had hailed the idea with avidity.
+
+"Mine, too," nodded Jerry. "When first we came back here we thought we
+would have to depend on our own little crowd for our good times. Now we
+have more invitations than we can accept. It's the same with lots of the
+other girls, too. There's a really friendly spirit abroad on the campus.
+The day of democracy is at hand."
+
+"I hope so. Anyway, things are pleasanter here than when we enrolled. Of
+course, we know many of the students now. That makes a difference.
+Still, there isn't the same chill in the social atmosphere that there
+used to be. Here comes our good old chauffeur, Leila Greatheart. She
+has been obliging and unselfish enough with us all to deserve a carload
+of May baskets. How many are you going to hang, Jeremiah?"
+
+"About a dozen, more or less," Jerry replied indefinitely. "I'll see how
+expert I shall be at making them."
+
+"I'm going to make Leila a green one and fill it with pistachio bars and
+green and white candies. On top I'll put a green and gold lace pin I
+bought yesterday in Hamilton. I'll make Vera a pale pink one and fill it
+with French bon-bons. I shall give her a very beautiful string of coral
+beads that Captain gave me long ago. Vera and Leila have both been so
+dear about taking us around in their cars, I want to make them special
+presents. The other baskets I shall just fill with candy or flowers."
+
+"We'll have to make a trip to the florist's late on May-day afternoon or
+our posies won't be fresh to put in the baskets. I shall buy some little
+fancy baskets if I can find them. My own handiwork may not turn out very
+well." Jerry had prudently decided to be on the safe side.
+
+Filled with the goodwill attending the pretty spring-time custom, it was
+a merry band of shoppers that invaded the Hamilton stores in search of
+materials for baskets. Crepe paper, ribbon, fancy silk and bright
+artificial wreaths and boutennieres shown in the millinery windows were
+purchased in profusion. Dainty baskets were not so easy to obtain. The
+girls finally found the sizes and shapes they desired at the florist's
+where they placed their order for May-day blossoms. The confectionery
+they decided to leave until the day before the basket hanging, so that
+it would be perfectly fresh. "Don't insult your friends by handing 'em
+stale candy," was Jerry's advice.
+
+For four evenings following the first shopping trip, a round of gaieties
+went on in one or another of the basket-makers' rooms. Under their
+clever fingers the May-time tributes were fashioned rapidly and well.
+Even Jerry found she could do amazing wonders with crepe paper ribbon
+and pasteboard, once she had "got the hang of the thing."
+
+The hardest problem which confronted the givers was how to hang their
+offerings and slip away before the recipient opened her door and nabbed
+the stealthy donor. As there was only one door knob to each door, the
+gift baskets must perforce be set in a row before it. Each girl had
+private dark intent of smashing the ten-thirty rule and creeping out
+into the hall after lights were out. This would prevent any attempt on
+the part of jokers to surreptitiously confiscate the fruits of their
+industry.
+
+Marjorie was confronted by a considerably harder problem. She had a
+basket to hang which was destined to grace a door quite outside of the
+Hall. She had purchased a particularly beautiful little willow basket.
+Through its open work she had run pale violet satin ribbon. A huge bow
+and long streamers of wider ribbon decorated the handle. The basket was
+to be filled with long-stemmed single violets which grew in profusion at
+the north end of the campus. To the curious questions of her chums
+regarding the lucky recipient of the basket, she merely replied with a
+laughing shake of her head, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."
+
+When the first pale stars of May-day evening appeared, Marjorie took her
+violet basket and promptly disappeared. Wearing a plain blue serge coat,
+a dark sports hat pulled well down over her curls, she crossed the
+campus at a gentle run and hurried through the west entrance to the
+highway. Her flower tribute she had covered with a wide black silk
+scarf. Along the road toward Hamilton Estates she sped, keeping well out
+of the way of passing automobiles. Onward she went until she reached the
+gates of Hamilton Arms. She drew a soft breath of satisfaction as she
+saw that they stood open. She had noticed they were always a little ajar
+in the day time. She had feared that they might be closed at night.
+
+Seized by a sudden spasm of timidity, she stood still for an instant,
+listening and peering ahead into the shadows. Then with a gurgling
+laugh, indicative of her pleasure in the secret expedition, she passed
+into the grounds and ran noiselessly toward the house at her best speed.
+
+One thing was certain, she told herself, as her feet touched the bottom
+step of the front veranda, if her presence were discovered there would
+be no disgrace attached to the apprehension. Her heart was thumping out
+a lively tattoo however, as she stole up to the heavy double doors and
+felt for the knocker. There was a light in the hall and in the room at
+the left of it. Miss Susanna was surely at home. Her hand closing at
+last upon the object of her search, she stooped and carefully set her
+basket on the stone threshold. Applying her young strength to the
+knocker, she waited only to hear it sound inside, then darted for the
+drive. While she dared not stop to look back, she thought she heard the
+creak of an opening door when she was halfway down the drive. Slightly
+winded from her mad dash, she paused outside the gate, flushed and
+triumphant. Whether the door had opened or not, she had at least
+succeeded in doing what she had set out to do.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+Miss Susanna Hamilton was not the only one to receive an overwhelming
+surprise that night. Opening the door of her room Marjorie found it
+dark. With a sharp exclamation she groped for the wall button and
+flashed on the light. Sheer amazement held her in leash for a moment.
+The first thing upon which her gaze became fixed was a huge white banner
+tacked above her couch bed. It bore in large red lettering the legend,
+"Merry May-day to Marjorie Dean, Marvelous Manager." On the bed,
+covering it completely, was an array of May baskets that made her gasp.
+There they were, the very ones she had admired most when her friends
+were making them.
+
+A trifle dazed at her sudden good fortune, Marjorie stood in rapt
+contemplation of her friends' tributes. Before she had time to go nearer
+to examine them, sounds of stifled laughter informed her that she was
+not alone.
+
+"You may just come out of those dress closets, everyone of you," she
+called, a tiny catch in her voice. "I know perfectly well that's where
+you are."
+
+Silence followed her command. Suddenly a louder burst of laughter
+greeted her ears. From the closets on both sides of the room her chums
+emerged, fairly tumbling over one another.
+
+"If you will go out by yourself on secret basket-hangings you must
+expect things to happen while you're gone," Jerry playfully upbraided.
+
+"I never dreamed of any such lovely surprise." Marjorie looked almost
+distressed. "And I was so mean to my little pals. I wouldn't tell 'em
+who my violet May basket was for. You shouldn't have taken all this
+trouble for me, dear children. I'm not worth one little bit of it."
+
+"Go tell that to the second cousin of your grandmother's great aunt,"
+was Leila's refreshing response. "We all have good taste. Don't belittle
+it. Since you feel a wee bit conscience-stricken over the violet basket,
+you may square yourself by telling us who it was for."
+
+"I can guess," boasted Muriel. "It was for Miss Humphrey."
+
+"No." Marjorie shook her head.
+
+"Then I don't know; unless it was for Doctor Matthews," Muriel essayed
+with an innocent air. "You have a speaking acquaintance with him, I
+believe."
+
+A shout of mirth followed this ingenuous guess.
+
+"Don't guess again," Marjorie implored.
+
+"I won't. I've guessed wrongly both times. I don't know anyone else who
+might be in line for that scrumptious basket."
+
+"I know where it went, but I'll let Marjorie tell you," Jerry said
+calmly. "I told the girls they would have time to fix up the surprise
+before you came back. Vera did that lettering on one of her sheets in
+about five minutes. Maybe we didn't hustle, though." She had now turned
+to Marjorie. "Do you believe I know where you were?"
+
+Marjorie looked into Jerry's eyes and smiled. "Yes, I think you know,"
+she answered. "I'm going to tell you all." She swept her friends with
+affectionate eyes. "That basket was for Miss Susanna. I ran all the way
+to Hamilton Arms with it. I was a little afraid of getting caught by the
+servants, but I didn't meet a soul inside the gate."
+
+It was her friends' turn to be astonished. A round of exclamatory
+remarks went up at the information, followed by eager questions.
+
+"I can't explain why I did it," Marjorie began when the commotion had
+subsided. "I thought of Miss Susanna when first we planned to hang May
+baskets. I felt as though she needed one. She will never know who hung
+it. I hope it makes her happy. What _I_ didn't expect was _this_."
+She pointed to her own wealth.
+
+"We felt sorry for you in your lonely old age," giggled Helen. "We
+thought you needed something to cheer you up. But we're not going to
+hang around here all evening. We are going to give Miss Remson a May
+shower. Get the basket you made for her and come along. This is my
+party. I've ordered Nesselrode pudding and French cakes from the
+Colonial. Think of that!"
+
+"Wonderful!" Marjorie's eyes were dancing. "She will be so delighted to
+have a surprise party. _She_ really deserves one."
+
+"So she does, and so did you, and you have had one." Helen dropped a
+friendly arm over Marjorie's shoulder. Shyly she endeavored to convey an
+affection she could not put into words. It was a warmth of regard which
+Marjorie drew from those who had learned to know the fine sweetness of
+her disposition.
+
+"I think we are the only ones at Hamilton to hang May baskets," Vera
+observed. "It's a custom that ought to be brought forward."
+
+"It is a beautiful idea." Ronny patted lovingly the big blue bow on her
+basket for Miss Remson. She was extremely fond of the good little
+manager.
+
+"We ought to go in for more of that sort of thing next year," asserted
+Muriel. "Goodness knows we have had enough friction to entitle us to the
+peaceful pursuit of pleasant things."
+
+"'The pursuit of pleasant things.'" repeated Marjorie. "I like to think
+of that as our outlook for next year. We have had two years of hard
+fighting for democracy. I wish we might have peace next year and a
+chance to invest our Alma Mater with new grace, by bringing back to her
+some of these beautiful customs. As a junior I am going to think a good
+deal about Hamilton traditions, too, and impress them on others, if I
+can."
+
+How truly Marjorie carried out her ardent resolution during her third
+year at Hamilton will be told in "Marjorie Dean, College Junior."
+
+THE END
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+SAVE THE WRAPPER!
+
+If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you
+have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome
+stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket--on
+the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt's fine series of
+carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your
+convenience.
+
+_Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the
+Publishers, will receive prompt attention._
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN COLLEGE SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester.
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series
+
+Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High School Series will be eager
+to read this new series, as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in
+these stories.
+
+All Clothbound. Copyright Titles.
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE FRESHMAN
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE JUNIOR
+MARJORIE DEAN, COLLEGE SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the
+Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN HIGH SCHOOL SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series
+
+These are clean, wholesome stories that will be of great
+interest to all girls of high school age.
+
+All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+Postage 10c. Extra.
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR
+MARJORIE DEAN, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+MARJORIE DEAN POST-GRADUATE SERIES
+
+By Pauline Lester
+Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School
+and College Series.
+
+All Cloth Bound. Copyright Titles.
+
+_With Individual Jackets in Colors._
+
+PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH
+POSTAGE 10c EXTRA
+
+MARJORIE DEAN, POST GRADUATE
+MARJORIE DEAN, MARVELOUS MANAGER
+MARJORIE DEAN AT HAMILTON ARMS
+MARJORIE DEAN'S ROMANCE
+MARJORIE DEAN MACY
+
+For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers
+
+A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+
+
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