Marjorie looked up, smiling through her tears; and the girls all went out to prepare the refreshments. Miss Phillips flashed Mrs. Johnson a grateful look; the tact and good sense of the older woman had prevented the misfortune from becoming a tragedy.
CHAPTER VII
THE JAPANESE FÊTE
When the disappointed girls left Mrs. Johnson's home at the conclusion of the surprise party, Marjorie probably looked most dejected of all. She resolutely avoided Ruth's society, feeling that she could not bear her "I told you so" attitude; instead, she sought Lily, who seemed to understand how she felt. The girls walked in silence; Lily knew her room-mate well enough now to realize that talking would not help, and she discreetly refrained from intruding upon her thoughts.
When they reached their own room, Marjorie threw herself upon the bed with a sob. Lily sat down beside her and put her arm around her neck.
"Marj, please don't take it so hard," she begged. "It won't do any good."
"Of course it won't," Marjorie replied, brokenly. "But I cared so much about her liking us."
"Well, she may, yet. Maybe she was frightened—and homesick. Why don't you go down to see her all by yourself?"