“So far as general excellence is concerned the campus houses rank the same. Wayland Hall is a trifle higher-priced than the others,” Leila answered levelly, fighting back her own rising desire to frown.
“Then I shall go there to live,” Jewel Marie Ogden announced with a decisive wag of her head. “Since you live there, you can tell me all about it. I shall ask for a single, of course. I simply can’t endure the thought of a roommate. I had a single at Warburton. Do you each have a single?”
“Miss Mason and Miss Harper room together. I have a single.” Leslie’s politely immobile features underwent a sudden purposeful tightening. She had decided to “hand the annoying freshman one” straight from the shoulder. “There are no vacancies at Wayland Hall,” she said. “I should advise you to go directly to Hamilton Hall and explain your mistake to the registrar. She may be able to secure you a room, or at least half a room, in one of the other campus houses.”
“I shall go to Wayland Hall first, and meet your Miss Remson. I imagine I can persuade her to make room for me there. I usually get whatever I want, when I make up my mind to go after it. It still lacks a week before the opening of college. A great many things may have happened by then.” Miss Ogden’s self-confidence had evidently returned with a rush.
“We are all at your service to run you up to the Hall.” This time it was Leslie who fought back a frown. Never possessed of a goodly stock of patience, she was already “fed up” with Jewel Marie.
“You may take me to the campus in your car, if you will be so kind,” was a gracious concession on the part of the freshie which Leslie accepted without enthusiasm.
“Pleased to be of service to you,” she returned briefly.
“Suppose we hurry along, then,” Vera suggested good-naturedly, “then we won’t be late to dinner. Too bad to keep Miss Remson waiting while there are so few of us in the house.”
“Your friends are awfully nice, but I choose to ride with you because I took a fancy to you,” were the freshman’s first words as Leslie presently started her roadster on the short run to the campus.
“You’d hardly say that if you knew us better,” Leslie replied a trifle coolly. “Miss Harper is considered the cleverest student who ever enrolled at Hamilton, and Miss Mason is tremendously popular.”