“You’re too imperious in manner. It somehow shows itself in your face, and lessens your good points. You ought to be more gracious of manner. You’d make a better impression all around. Just try it out for the rest of the week and go to the frolic looking radiant, whether you feel like being gracious, or not,” was Laura’s calmly pertinent advice.
“What do you expect me to do? Go about the campus grinning like a Chessy cat?” came the nettled retort.
“It will do more for you in the way of popularity than your empress of the world pose. You asked me for my opinion. You now have it. I’m going for a ride, and a stop at Baretti’s on the way back to dinner.” Laura rose with the deliberate slowness which characterized her every movement. “You’d better come along.”
“No; I have letters to write,” Stephanie replied curtly. She was still piqued at Laura’s scarcely flattering criticism.
“Then you’d better put a ‘Busy’ sign on the door. Miss Ogden has been here twice to see you while you were out.”
“Oh, that tiresome little upstart!” Stephanie’s face darkened. “I can’t endure her.”
“She seems to have a crush on you.”
“She’ll have to get over it, then, for I can’t endure her. She’s underbred.” Stephanie’s red upper lip lifted itself scornfully.
“She’s a freshie, though. Don’t forget that,” Laura reminded. “Class election’s next week. Be nice to her, and she may nominate you for president. Antagonize her, and she may do you a lot of damage among the freshies. Those black eyes of hers can shoot danger signals. Try snubbing her once, and then—look out.”
“You’re positively maddening today,” Stephanie exclaimed in angry vexation. “You’ve done nothing but criticize me ever since I came into the room.”