Part 12 (1/2)
”Jane Pratt,” Agony began without preliminary, ”did you promise to sleep with Carmen Chadwick, and lead her to think she did not need to bring any blankets along on this trip?”
Jane returned Agony's gaze coolly, and gave a slight, disagreeable laugh. ”Carmen's the biggest goose in camp,” she said scornfully.
”Anybody'd know I didn't mean--”
”_Carmen_ didn't know you didn't mean it,” Agony interrupted. ”She thought you were sincere, and believed you, and now she's dreadfully hurt about it. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, hurting a poor little girl's feelings like that.”
”If anybody's green enough to come on an overnight trip without any blankets and actually think someone else is going to bring them for her--”
”Well, as it happens, Carmen _was_ green enough, and that's just the point. She's never been away from home and because she's so desperately homesick she's having a hard time making friends. If one person treats her like this it'll be hard for her ever to believe what people tell her and it'll be harder for her to get acquainted than ever.”
Jane shrugged her shoulders. ”What she believes or doesn't believe doesn't concern me.”
”Why, Jane Pratt!”
Jane smiled amusedly at Agony's reproachful exclamation. ”My dear,” she said patronizingly, ”I never sleep with anyone. There's no one I like well enough. I thought everyone in camp knew that.”
”Then why did you tell Carmen you would sleep with her?”
”Because she's such a goose it was no end of fun taking her in.”
”Then you deliberately deceived her?” asked Agony witheringly.
”Well, and what if I did?” retorted Jane.
”You have absolutely no sense of honor,” Agony remarked contemptuously.
”Deceiving people is just as bad as lying, or cheating.”
Stung by Agony's tone, Jane flushed a little. ”Well, what do you expect me to do about it?” she demanded. ”What business is it of yours, anyway?”
”You're going to let Carmen take one of your blankets,” replied Agony.
”I'll do no such thing,” returned Jane flatly. ”It's going to be cold here tonight and I'll need them both.”
”And what about Carmen?”
”Bother Carmen! If she's such a goose to think that I meant what I said she deserves to be cold.”
”Why, Jane Pratt!”
”Why don't you share your own blankets with her, if you're so concerned about her?”
”I'm perfectly willing to, and so are the rest of the girls, but we're giving you the _opportunity_ to do it, to help right the mistake.”
”I suppose you've told all the girls in camp about it and will run and tell Mrs. Grayson to come and make me give up my blankets.”
”I'll do no such thing. If you aren't kind hearted enough yourself to want to make Carmen feel better it wouldn't mend matters any to have Mrs. Grayson make you do it. But I shall certainly let the girls know about it. I think they ought to know what an amiable disposition you have. I don't think you'll be bothered with any more overtures of friends.h.i.+p.”
Jane yawned. ”For goodness' sake, are you going to preach all night?