Part 6 (1/2)
”There is plenty of room up front,” said Bess, cheerfully.
Nan saw Linda Riggs' hat ”up front,” too. ”No,” she said firmly. ”I shall sit here.”
”Oh--well!” Bess drawled, pouting.
For the first time in her life Nan Sherwood felt that a friend was disloyal to her--in appearance, if not actually. She realized that Bess must have been put in an exceedingly mortifying position in the dining car when she found she was without money with which to pay her check; and Miss Riggs may have been quite accommodating to offer to pay. Nan, however, could not imagine herself in her chum's situation, accepting the offer.
Bess needed only to wait until the first half of the train backed down to the rear half, when she could either have found her mislaid bag, or got the money for her lunch from Nan.
And then--to be so eager to continue the acquaintances.h.i.+p with the uncivil girl! That was what pointed the dart.
”I don't care!” said the pouting Bess, at last. ”I've got to pay her the forty-five cents. She'll think it funny.”
”Pay her by all means,” Nan said, striving not to show how hurt she was.
Bess briskly went up the aisle at this permission; but she did not return for an hour or more. Linda Riggs' conversation evidently quite charmed shallow, thoughtless Bess.
CHAPTER VI
HOW IT FEELS TO BE A HEROINE
Bess Harley came back to her chair facing Nan's quite full of a brand new subject of conversation.
”Do you know, Nan Sherwood,” she cried, ”that we've got a real, live heroine aboard this train?”
”Goodness!” exclaimed Nan. ”What's she done?”
”They say she saved another girl's life back there where we stopped to take on the new car.”
”At the Junction?” murmured Nan.
”Yes.”
”Oh!” whispered her chum, and immediately became silent.
”My goodness!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Bess. ”I never saw such a girl. Aren't you interested at all?”
”I--I don't know,” her chum replied in a very small voice.
”I wonder at you, Nan Sherwood!” cried Bess, at last, after staring at Nan for some moments.
”Why?”
”You don't seem at all interested. And this girl was awfully brave.
Linda says she ought to have a purse of money given her--or a Carnegie medal--or something. Linda says----”
”Linda?” repeated Nan, in wonder.
”Why, yes,” Bess said. ”She's not at all a bad girl--nothing at all like what you said she was.”