Then her thoughts strayed to other girls of their type, and she fell to wondering how they too passed their time. Perhaps this little group was on a slightly higher plane, protected as they were by the settlement, and supervised by Miss Winthrop.
She had intended to go straight to Daisy with her story, but she found all her plans interrupted by her class-mates. They crowded her rooms, anxious to congratulate her and to express their good-will, and insisted upon giving her at least part of the celebration which Lily and Jeannette had arranged in her honor. It was evening before she found herself alone; then she sat down to write her report for Miss Winthrop.
She presented her facts as strongly as she knew how, denouncing the girls’ conduct with all the ardor she felt, and yet keeping the personal element out of it. She sketched every girl’s behavior with a definiteness and a truthfulness that bore the impressive stamp of thoroughness. Then, before she had a chance to lose her courage, she posted the letter herself.
She was planning a visit to Daisy on Monday afternoon when a summons to the reception room interrupted her project. To her surprise she found both Lily and Daisy already there, talking with a middle-aged, efficient-looking woman whom she immediately judged to be Miss Winthrop.
“This is Miss Wilkinson, Miss Winthrop,” said Daisy, as Marjorie advanced towards the little group. “She thinks your report was splendid, Marjorie.”
Miss Winthrop’s keen gray eyes seemed to be taking the girl in from head to foot, and, not only that, but to be piercing into her mind as well. Marjorie shifted nervously.
“I want to talk it all over, Miss Wilkinson,” declared the older woman. “Your report was most illuminating, most thorough. In fact, it read more like one from a trained worker than from an inexperienced college girl.”
This statement aroused Lily’s ire.
“Marj isn’t inexperienced!” she cried, resentfully. “She’s been all over the country, and always been a leader, no matter where she went, or what she was doing!”
“Only inexperienced among girls of that type,” explained Miss Winthrop, with a smile. She was secretly pleased by the girl’s loyalty.