Miss Freylinghausen’s evident liking for Beth—her admiration for her, in fact—made its impression upon Mrs. Haven.
That lady’s eyes were often fixed upon the brilliant beauty of her old friend’s daughter during the remainder of the evening—and with a new expression in her own countenance.
But all this was “ancient history” now. Back at Rivercliff, Beth Baldwin had altogether too much of really vital importance to think of to be bothered by reflections upon either Larry’s mother or Larry himself.
As she had feared, the girl from Hudsonvale returned to school to face pronounced opposition in her own class. It did not so much matter about the dislike expressed by girls in the lower grades; but it was in the power of Laura Hedden, Miss Rice, and a few others of the seniors, to make Beth’s existence very unhappy indeed.
And the worst of it was, it did not seem to be a situation that Beth could control. She could not take affairs into her own hands, as she had on that long past occasion of the Red Masque. She could not withdraw herself now from the remainder of her class. Being its president, and a leader in all its activities, it would have been beneath her even to notice many of the slights and insults aimed at her. The sting of them was quite as sharp, however. This situation was harder to endure than any of Maude Grimshaw’s old-time persecutions.
At every business meeting of the senior class (and these became frequent as time went on), the schism against Beth was shown to be stronger. It did not do for her to propose the simplest thing; at once some girl jumped up with an objection or a counter-proposal.
“Why,” said the usually jolly Molly, quite seriously now, “I believe if we had to discuss right now whether ‘two and two make four,’ Hedden or Rice or somebody, would jump up and claim it didn’t. What’s the matter with you all, anyway?”
“Well, you’re not going to have everything all your own way, Molly Granger, so there!” said one of the obstructionists.
“No,” said another. “Too many things have been cut and dried for us. We want to have something to say about what the senior class does.”
“Who’s we?” demanded Molly, warmly.