Part 3 (2/2)

”The number of this room is 15. Miss Macy and I have had it for three years,” Marjorie broke in evenly. ”You will find 16 across the hall. The numbers on this side of the hall are odd; on the other, even.”

”Oh!” The arrogant claimant turned poppy-red. Plainly in the wrong, Marjorie's civil, utterly dispa.s.sionate information fell upon her ears as a merited rebuke. ”I was told-” she began feebly. ”I am sure the number over this door _looks_ like 16. This is the room I _wanted_. I beg your pardon. Still I don't understand--”

In spite of the grudging apology she appeared only half convinced.

Marjorie merely inclined her head without speaking. Jerry was silent from sheer disgust. The battery of two pairs of eyes full upon her proved too much for the intruder. She made a rather hurried exit, closing the door behind her with enough force to indicate a rise of temper.

”Blunderhead!” p.r.o.nounced Jerry contemptuously. ”I understand now why she can't be taught to drive her car with safety to the public. She is really stupid underneath her trickiness.”

”Too bad she didn't look before she leaped.” A quiet little smile dimpled the corners of Marjorie's red lips. She had been merely amused at the incident.

”She must have felt foolish,” Jerry declared. ”That's what we might call 'Skirmish, Number One.' I daresay we'll have more of them with her Walberts.h.i.+p before we receive our diplomas and hike for Sanford.”

”Not if I can help it,” vowed Marjorie, still smiling. This time it was at Jerry's funny way of phrasing her opinions.

”Oh, I forgot. I was going to tell Lucy about going to Silverton Hall.

I'll put the rest of these things away when I come back. As long as I am to tell her, I might as well see Leila and Muriel. You go ahead and finish unpacking your suitcase.”

Jerry left the room on her errand. She presently returned with all three girls. The start for Silverton Hall was promptly made, the five friends strolling bareheaded across the campus.

Marjorie thought she had never seen her ”second friend,” as she liked to term the campus, looking more verdantly beautiful. A fairly rainy summer had left the short, thick gra.s.s peculiarly vivid in its greenness. The leaves of every decorative shrub and tree seemed greener than of yore.

It was as though the life of the free emerald spread was rising, not waning, with the approach of autumn.

Arrived at Silverton Hall, disappointment awaited them. Not one of their particular friends had returned. Half a dozen seniors grouped in girlishly picturesque att.i.tudes on the veranda welcomed the callers with warmth. Leila, in particular, was hailed with delight. Her great popularity with the Silvertonites made her return as a post graduate a matter of rejoicing.

Place was made for the visitors on the veranda and the steady hum of voices soon proclaimed an enthusiastic exchange of campus news. It was earlier than the Wayland Hall girls had thought. They therefore declined a pressing invitation to stay to dinner at Silverton Hall, and, after half an hour's stay, got under way again.

”Where to?” asked Jerry, as they left the premises of Silverton Hall.

”Fortune isn't with us tonight. We are wandering about almost as aimlessly as on the evening we landed here as fres.h.i.+es. Leila, excepted, of course. She was a soph then.”

”And very well I remember that evening,” rejoined Leila. ”When I saw you Sanfordites come into Baretti's I looked at Marjorie and planned the Beauty contest.”

”Yes; and inveigled me into joining the line that night when I had intended to keep out of it,” reproached Marjorie. ”I was really cross with you for about two minutes, Leila Greatheart.”

”'Tis a long day away since then,” Leila lightly a.s.sured.

”I asked where we were going, but no one saw fit to answer me,”

complained Jerry. ”I'm not hungry enough yet for Baretti's.”

”Let's stop and find out,” proposed Muriel. ”Only lunatics keep on going without knowing for what point they're bound.”

”We might go over to Acasia House and see if Barbara Severn has come back,” proposed Marjorie.

”I'd propose going over to Wenderblatts' to see Kathie and Lillian, but I haven't called Kathie on the 'phone yet. One doesn't like to descend on a private family unannounced,” Lucy the proper said regretfully.

”Oh, make it Acasia House,” Jerry voiced, with a touch of impatience.

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