“O, Hilary isn’t a bit touchy, you know, Di,”—this from Hilary’s roommate, naturally an authority on that.
“I know, Cathalina. You ask Lil, Betty.”
“O, please don’t!” begged Hilary. “I count on you girls not to say anything. I don’t know myself whether to go and see Lilian or not; I’m not keen on being snubbed, you know. But if I’ve really done anything, I’ll apologize in a minute. I can’t understand.”
“Wait a day or so,” counseled Eloise, “maybe she’ll come around all right and tell you herself.”
But Lilian did not come near or give Hilary a chance to speak to her. Hilary felt much hurt, but like the conscientious little girl she was, thought she must be partly to blame. After the English class it was now Myrtle Wiseman who waited for Hilary. She was a gentle, pleasant-voiced girl, full of flattery for Hilary’s ability and with a certain attractiveness of her own. Cathalina could not bear her, but was too much of a lady to show it when Myrtle would come to their suite for help on a theme or to borrow something from Hilary. Hilary liked her well enough, except for having seen her cheat in examination, but for that reason preferred not to be intimate with her. However, having been brought up to be helpful to everybody, she was kind and sunny with Myrtle. It never occurred that Lilian might be at all jealous, because Lilian was as generous-hearted as Hilary herself. Hilary had never mentioned the cheating to Lilian, for she had some hesitation about prejudicing one girl against another.
“I shan’t enjoy the Junior picnic a bit,” remarked Hilary one day to Cathalina, “with Lil acting this way.”
“If you hate to go to her room to see her, why don’t you write her a note?” suggested sensible Cathalina, “and get the thing explained!”
“She probably wouldn’t answer it, and anyway, Cathalina, I haven’t done a thing! I suppose I’m getting mad, too, but I don’t like to be treated that way without a hint why. If Lilian doesn’t want to have anything to do with me she needn’t!”
Cathalina was surprised, for Hilary was such a sensible, kind girl under ordinary circumstances, but she did not know what a sore heart Lilian’s defection had given Hilary, who did not understand in the least.
“Never mind, Hilary; the rest of us all love you to pieces. Don’t pay any attention to it,—though at this rate you’ll never fix it up! We’re going to have a beach party tonight right after dinner, and we shall see if Lilian will come. We must talk over the plans for the picnic tonight. Did you know that you are on the refreshment committee?”