“It’s certainly a lovely show,” said Madeline, trying the fudge.
“And a big feather in Eleanor Watson’s cap,” added Jean carelessly. “She always was the cleverest thing. I’d a lot rather be chairman of the play committee, or even a member of it, for that matter, than toastmistress. I suppose you know that there’s a class-meeting to-morrow.”
“Have you said that to Eleanor?” asked Madeline coldly.
“Oh, I gave her my congratulations on her prospects,” said Jean with a shrug. “We’re old friends, you know. We understand each other perfectly.”
Madeline’s eyes flashed. “It won’t be the least use to tell you so,” she said, “but lobbying for office is not the chief occupation of humanity as you seem to think. Neither Eleanor Watson nor any of her friends has thought anything about her being put on the play committee. I made the mistake once of supposing that our class as a whole was capable of appreciating the stand she’s taken, and I shan’t be likely to forget that I was wrong. But this affair was entirely her idea, and she deserves the credit for it.”
“Oh, indeed,” said Jean quickly. “I suppose you didn’t send telegrams—”
But Madeline, her face white with anger was half way across the big hall.
Jean watched her tumultuous progress with a meaning smile. “Well, I’ve fixed that little game,” she reflected. “If they did intend to put her up, they won’t dare to now. They’ll be afraid of seeing me do the Blunderbuss’s act with variations. She’d have been elected fast enough, after this, and there isn’t a girl in the class who could do half as well on that committee. But as for having her and that insufferable little Betty Wales on, when I shall be left off, I simply couldn’t stand it.”
Madeline found Betty taking off her doll’s dress by dim candle-light, which she hoped would escape the eagle eye of the night-watchman. “I’ve come to tell you that the wires are all down again,” she began, and went on to tell the story of Jean’s carefully timed insinuations.
“I almost believe that the Blunderbuss was the tool of the Hill crowd,” she said angrily. “At any rate they used her while she served, and now they’re ready to take a hand themselves.”