“Dear me! did you?” responded Linda, airily.
“Yes, I did! You know I did!” Bess cried stormily.
“Perhaps. I never pay attention to such small matters,” and the other tossed her head.
Of course, all this was very foolish, and Bess should not have paid Linda the compliment of attention. But she did, and Linda saw that her words stung—so she went on with her ill-natured tirade:
“There is one matter that I shall pay attention to,” and she laughed, sneeringly. “I shall see to it that the girls of Lakeview Hall are informed of the character of you and your friend. One of you stealing my bag——”
“She didn’t!” gasped Bess.
“Oh, she was stopped before she got very far, I grant you,” laughed Linda, sarcastically. “And the other obliged to borrow forty-five cents to pay for her luncheon in the dining car. It will amuse my friends at the Hall, I assure you.”
Nan had heard none of this conversation between her chum and Linda Riggs. Her own ears were actually burning because of the complimentary speeches the conductor and the passengers were making. Poor Nan was backed up against her chair, blushing furiously and almost in tears of confusion, while Bess was carrying on her wordy battle with Linda, a few steps up the aisle.
But suddenly Nan, as well as those about her, were quite startled by Bess Harley’s shrill outburst.
“Linda Riggs!” she cried. “You are the very meanest girl I ever saw! If you say another mean thing about Nan Sherwood I’ll box your ears for you!” and the superheated Bess advanced upon her antagonist, her hand raised, prepared to put her threat into execution.