“Naturally; don’t doubt it,” Laura commented with lazy sarcasm.
“What do you mean?” Stephanie questioned in a sharp tone.
“Just what I say. She has good reason for pretending to mind her own business. I happen to know that much about her.”
“What do you mean?” Stephanie repeated, eyeing her roommate narrowly.
“Oh, I heard a few little things about Miss Ferguson the other day. For one thing, she is a trouble-maker. She tried to start trouble, it seems, last year at the Hall for Miss Cairns. I don’t know why. I’m going to find out, though. Anyway, she didn’t get away with it. Miss Remson, and a crowd of P. G.’s who were at the Hall then, and who belonged to the same sorority as Miss Cairns, stood by her. At the last, almost all of Miss Ferguson’s pals, who had backed her, turned against her. This P. G., Marjorie Dean something or other, who, according to report is the Great I Am here at Hamilton, was on Miss Cairns’ side, too. Miss Ferguson didn’t have a look-in.”
“I don’t believe any such tale,” Stephanie said contemptuously. “Who told it to you?” she asked with displeased curiosity.
“Nothing doing. I promised not to tell what I’ve just told you, or from whom I heard it. I’ve partly broken my word already by repeating it to you. I thought you ought to know about it, but it’s not necessary for you to know who said it,” Laura answered coolly.
“No one except an enemy of Miss Ferguson’s would say such mean things about her; that she was a trouble-maker, and that she hadn’t a look-in,” was Stephanie’s scornful opinion.
“Then I must be the enemy,” Laura laughed softly. “What’s the matter with you, Steve? But, no; it’s not your fault. I didn’t make myself clear. The person who told me about Miss Ferguson wasn’t trying to down her. She simply told me a little about the trouble last year, and I drew my own conclusions about Miss Ferguson. You’ll find out, sooner or later, that they’re correct. Look out for her. Remember, I’ve warned you.”
“I don’t need your warning. I consider myself capable of judging character. I like Miss Ferguson.” Stephanie’s chin tilted itself to a defiant angle.