Part 10 (1/2)
”Would you, Marjorie?” Hal's voice contained a hint of eagerness. Lately he had begun to realize that his boyish affection for Marjorie Dean was verging on a far deeper emotion. Yet the very candidness of Marjorie's heartily expressed preference for him, showed him quite plainly that she meant it merely in a sense of frank friendliness.
”You know I would,” she nodded seriously. ”Aren't we sworn comrades?”
The real meaning of his question had pa.s.sed entirely over her head.
”We are, indeed,” was the hearty response. Inwardly Hal vowed that for the present he would try to regard Marjorie wholly in that light. Yet within himself he cherished a fond hope that some day he might come to mean more to this sweet, unselfish girl than a mere comrade. Although Marjorie did not realize it, that evening marked the beginning of Romance for her.
”I'll have to confess that I found you out before you unmasked, Marjorie,” he laughed. ”Naturally I picked the broom that wore the blue ribbon.”
”You are a most designing knight,” she answered heartily. ”I wonder if Laurie discovered Connie beforehand and did likewise.” Her glance travelling the long room a soft ”Oh!” escaped her. Laurie had indeed acquired a partner, but that partner was Mignon La Salle. A quick survey of the room discovered Constance standing beside Miles Burton, a senior at Weston High School. Marjorie could not help noting how delighted Mignon looked. Laurie, however, did not appear specially elated. He was making a desperate attempt to hide his disappointment under a show of chivalry which Marjorie knew to be forced.
Before she had time to make further observations, the announcing strains of another dance rang out and she floated away on Hal's arm. When that dance was over Sherman Norwood claimed her for the next and the succeeding one she danced with Hal.
”Now I must find Connie and have a talk with her,” she declared brightly, when that dance was finished.
”And I must do my duty by Jerry's guests,” commented Hal somewhat ruefully. ”Be a good comrade and save as many dances for me as you can, Marjorie.”
”I will.” Marjorie left him with a smiling little nod and set off to find Constance. Half way across the floor she encountered Jerry who was hurrying to meet her.
”I was looking for you, Marjorie. Come downstairs with me and see if you can't persuade Veronica, I mean Ronny, I've decided to call her that, to stay for the evening.”
”Veronica!” Marjorie's brown eyes widened. ”Is she really here? I thought you said she wouldn't come. I haven't seen her.”
”Oh, yes, you have, only you didn't know it,” chuckled Jerry. ”You saw her do that shadow dance. She did say she wouldn't come. Then when I told her about the stunts I was going to have she offered to come of her own accord and do that dance. But she doesn't want anyone else to know that she's here. I can't understand that girl. She's certainly the world's great mystery.”
Marjorie's face registered her surprise. ”She does act queerly sometimes. I don't know why, unless it's because she feels that her position at Miss Archer's might make a difference with us. As though it could. I'd love to see her to-night, if only for a few minutes. Your party is lovely, Jerry. It is so original. I hadn't the least idea until they unmasked that Harriet, Rita and Daisy were the three witches. I suspected that tall, white figure to be the Crane, and, of course, I knew Danny Seabrooke the minute I first set eyes on him. You and Hal must have worked awfully hard to decorate everything so beautifully.
It's the nicest Hallowe'en party I've ever attended.”
”I'm glad you like it.” Jerry beamed her gratification. ”It did keep Hal and me hustling. I'm sorry for poor Laurie, though. It's too bad that he had to go and draw Mignon for a partner. She'll stick to him all evening like grim death. Trust her to do that.”
”Oh, well, Connie won't care. It will only amuse her. Laurie isn't very happy over it though,” was Marjorie's regretful comment.
As they talked the two girls had been making their way downstairs. In the back parlor they found Veronica, a demure little figure in her plain blue suit and close-fitting blue hat. ”I'm glad you came down, Marjorie,” she greeted. ”You look so sweet in that peachblow frock. It's a joy to see you.”
”Thank you, Veronica. Your shadow dance was also a joy to see. You are a very clever young person. I wish I could dance like that.”
”Why can't you stay, Veronica?” lamented Jerry. ”I'd love to have you meet the Weston High boys. They are nice fellows and good dancers.”
”Don't tempt me.” Veronica made a smiling gesture of protest. ”I love to dance. When I was--” she stopped with her usual strange abruptness. ”I must go,” she a.s.serted decisively. ”My-Miss Archer will wonder what has kept me so long.”
”But we came down here as a special committee of two to persuade you to stay,” pleaded Marjorie.
”Thank you ever so much. It is dear in you to take so much trouble for a poor servant girl.” Veronica's gray eyes twinkled as she referred to her lowly estate.
”I wish you wouldn't say that, Ronny,” protested Marjorie, unconsciously using Jerry's new name for the pretty girl.
”Where did you hear that name? I mean the name 'Ronny?'” Veronica's startled question held a note of sharpness. ”I never mentioned it to you. I am sure of that.” A decided pucker of displeasure showed itself between her dark brows.
”Why-that-why-Jerry mentioned it,” stammered Marjorie, somewhat taken aback by Veronica's brusque manner of speaking. ”She thought of it herself, I suppose.” Flus.h.i.+ng, she turned to Jerry for corroboration.
The stout girl's round eyes were fixed shrewdly on Veronica.
”I take all the blame and the credit for it,” was Jerry's prompt a.s.sertion. ”It's a cunning nickname and easier said than Veronica. If you'd rather we'd not call you Ronny, then we won't. Of course, you never mentioned it to me. I just made it up. It suits you, though. I'll bet we're not the first persons to call you by it, either,” she added, hazarding a shrewd guess.