Those four letters created amazement, displeasure, consternation, according to the recipient. Miss Humphrey was annoyed as only a registrar can be annoyed by such a procedure. Elizabeth Walbert was surprised and miffed because Dulcie had not confided in her. Doctor Matthews’ indignation soared to still heights. Leslie Cairns opened her letter at the breakfast table. She read the first page and hurriedly rose, tipping over her coffee in her haste. Paying no attention to the stream of coffee which flowed to the floor, she rushed from the dining room to her own. Locking the door, she sat down with trembling knees to read the letter. She read it twice, uttered a half sob of agony and threw herself face downward on her bed. The sword had fallen, the end had come.
Of the four letters, the one Dulcie had written her was the shortest and read:
“Leslie:
“When you read this you will not feel so secure as you did the night you humiliated me so. You thought I would not dare say a word about a number of things because I was afraid of being expelled from college. You will see now that you made a serious mistake; so serious you won’t be at Hamilton long after President Matthews receives the letter I have written him. I have told him everything. The Sans are in for trouble with him. It doesn’t make a particle of difference to me what happens to you and your pals, for I am not coming back to Hamilton. My letter to Doctor Matthews is convincing. You will surely receive a summons. What? Oh, yes! I think I have proved myself almost as clever as you.
“Dulciana Maud Vale.”
Not far behind Leslie came Natalie Weyman to her friend’s room. Startled by Leslie’s peculiar behavior she had followed her upstairs, her own breakfast untouched.
“Leslie,” she called softly, “May I come in? It’s Nat.”
“Go away.” Leslie’s voice was harsh and broken. “Come back after recitations this afternoon.”
“Very well.” Natalie retreated, puzzled but not angry. She was understanding that something very unusual had happened to Leslie. Her mind took it up, however, as presumably bad news from home. She hoped nothing serious had happened to Leslie’s father. Her shallow serenity soon returned and she went about her affairs smugly unconscious of what was in store for her.
Meanwhile, President Matthews was holding a long and unpleasant session with Laura Sayres. Dulcie had not failed to describe Laura’s part in the plot against Miss Remson. Now the incensed doctor was endeavoring to pin his shifty secretary down to lamentable facts.