“Much ado about nothing,” Laura had come out of her bored silence. “Possibly, after Steve has behaved like the villain in a melodrama you’ll then all discover that the Ogden kid doesn’t care a hang who knows she was once a trapeze performer. It may give her a fine boost on the campus.”
“Nothing of the sort.” Stephanie turned angrily upon Laura. “If she’d felt like that about it she would have boasted of it long ago, to me. She’s horribly conceited. No, indeed. She was always very evasive whenever I happened to ask her any personal questions. Besides, she told me she had attended Warburton Prep.”
“Possibly she had,” Laura retorted.
“I doubt it. You’re always on the wrong side of the fence lately. Since you don’t agree with me, please, at least, remember that this is a confidential talk,” Stephanie reminded icily.
“Now you have said something.” Laura thereupon subsided with an amused air which only an odd glint in her pale blue eyes contradicted.
Meanwhile Jewel had taken Leslie’s blunt advice to heart and was trying to regain the self-assured air that had characterized her during her first days at college. Hearing no further adverse criticisms of herself she was now glad that she had followed the line of conduct which Leslie had advocated.
Returning from a ride with Leslie in the late October dusk the eyes of both girls were simultaneously attracted by the sight of a folded newspaper held in place by the knob of their room door.
“The Hamilton Gazette,” Jewel read in surprise. “How queer, and it’s addressed to me! I wonder who put it there?”
“Some little mystery.” Leslie had already entered the room and switched on the light. Her thoughts elsewhere, she was paying no particular attention to the freshman as she stood ripping off the news sheet’s addressed wrapper. She heard, mechanically, the rustle of unfolding paper, followed by sudden silence.
“Oh-h-h-h!”