“I—we—that is——” Janet began lamely and looked appealingly at Gale. Gone were all intentions of talking.
“We’ve come to talk to you about Phyllis,” Gale said, reluctantly taking upon herself their mission.
“What about her?” Miss Fields demanded. “If she is in any kind of trouble I’ll——”
“Oh, no!” Valerie said hastily.
“We’ve come to talk about Phyllis going to Briarhurst,” Gale said unwisely.
The woman before them stiffened noticeably, if it were possible for her to get much stiffer.
“Phyllis is going to Stonecliff,” she said.
“That is it,” Gale said. She scarcely realized what she was saying. Her words tumbled out incoherently in her haste to say what was to be said and to be away again. She realized now more than ever before why Phyllis lived in such awe of Miss Fields. The woman was a positive tyrant! There was not a glimmer of emotion in the stern cut of her features. Gale doubted if a smile had ever curled the corners of the thin lips.
“We’ve become such good friends with Phyllis that we were hoping she might go along with the rest of us to Briarhurst. It seems a shame to break up our group now. Besides Briarhurst is much the finer college. Their curriculum is much larger, the girls are friendly—everything is nicer and Phyllis really wants to go with us.” Gale realized how unwise the last had been as soon as she had said it.
Miss Fields drew herself up to her full height and glared at each girl in turn. “Phyllis is going to Stonecliff,” she said, and without giving the girls a chance to carry the argument any farther she turned and slammed the door in their faces.