“Perhaps she didn’t—” she began, half ashamed; Leslie, however, had reached the door and left the room without heeding the angry freshman’s half attempt at exoneration. Left to herself resentment against Leslie again possessed her. When, half an hour later, Leslie returned, well over the surge of black anger that had threatened to burst upon Jewel, the freshman appeared stonily unaware of her presence in the room.
In the dining room that evening girl comment ran decorously rife. Every freshie at the Hall had found a copy of the “Hamilton Gazette” at her door that afternoon. They awaited Jewel’s entrance into the dining room with more or less eager curiosity. She did not appear at dinner, to their signal disappointment. Far from being shocked at the write-up, the broader-minded element among them were inclined to lionize Jewel. Weighed down by a false sense of shame, she could not possibly guess this.
In Stephanie Norris’s room that evening a triumphantly lively discussion went on at Stephanie’s coup de grace. The freshman’s non-appearance at dinner they had chose to regard as significant.
“I knew I was right about her,” Marylyn Spencer elatedly repeated. “However did you manage, Steve? I mean so that there won’t be a come-back for you. Remember I must have that program back again.”
“I’m going into town tomorrow. I’ll send a messenger boy from the Hamilton House for it, and wait for its return to me there. I shall simply tell him,” Stephanie broke into an amused laugh, “to ask the editor for Miss Harper’s program.”
“Miss Harper?” went up in several different keys of surprise.
“Yes. It’s awfully funny. You see I happened to mention Miss Harper’s name in connection with the Playhouse, and the editor must have mistaken me for her. He very politely called me Miss Harper. So—” again she laughed,—“I let it go at that.”
“Then, no one can possibly connect us with—” Joyce Gray, Marylyn’s roommate began excitedly.
“This pleasant little joke,” Laura Taylor supplied mockingly. “You were in luck again, weren’t you, Steve.”
“Yes.” Stephanie cast a suspicious glance at Laura. The latter’s immobile face told her nothing.