“You are a noble Cairns, and I think well of you,” Leila spoke lightly, but Leslie understood the undercurrent of earnestness in the speech. The Irish girl was wondering, however, what the effect of the carrying out of Leslie’s plan would be upon Miss Ogden. She suspected her of being a social climber which would not accord at all with Leslie’s scheme of things.
As though reading her mind, Leslie remarked speculatively, “I am going to talk to Miss Ogden about Fifteen. I haven’t yet explained it to her. I hardly believe she will make any objection to it when I finally tell her. That will be shortly before I leave here for Carden Hedge.”
Watching Leslie’s face Marjorie glimpsed the shadow of the old dominating leader who had ruled the frivolous San Soucians by sheer determined will.
“Do you like Miss Ogden, Leslie?” sprang impulsively from her lips. Immediately she became vexed with herself for having unthinkingly asked so personal a question. “I shouldn’t have asked you that,” she apologized quickly.
“Glad you did. It’s given me an opening to speak my mind to you and Leila about her, and also this crowd of freshies from New York who are at the Hall. You ask me if I like Miss Ogden. Yes, and no. At heart she’s a democrat. Outwardly, she’s a goose, with snobbish aspirations. She’ll need more than one jolt to wake her up to herself, and she’s in a fair way soon to gather in the first one. The New York freshies are snobs, Marjorie; same type as the Sans. Leila, Vera and I discovered as much the day we first met them. The Ogden kid is wild about them; has a crush on Miss Norris, the banner snob of the gang. Experience is a great teacher! I understand this bunch of high hats. She doesn’t. I can’t very well warn her against them. They’re her classmates. She would probably resent such a warning, as a meddlesome interference on my part. Still, I hate to see her hurt without having first done what I can to prevent calamity. Leila, Vera and I have been keeping a starboard eye upon her, trying diplomatically to steer her clear of snags. We decided we’d best consult you about her, Marvelous Manager.” Leslie’s eyes rested expectantly upon Marjorie.
“Why underrate your own superior capabilities?” Marjorie glanced from Leila to Leslie with twinkling eyes.
“We are but poor playhouse managers, and, at that, far from marvelous. It is one thing to manage mummers, in a make-believe drama. They are pleased to be managed. But to attempt to manage freshies, in a real drama, who have no taste for being managed, is quite another.” Leslie made a deprecatory gesture. “These New York freshies, Beauty, are an innovation at Hamilton. They are a gay, noisy set in their rooms, going back and forth to them through their end of the hall with plenty of laughter and commotion. To the other students at the Hall they show small friendliness. Miss Ogden loses no opportunity to court favor with them. We know they make sport of her behind her back, for we have heard them sneer about her. They patronize her to her face. Why they do not snub her outright, as they have two or three of the sophs at the Hall, we wondered, until yesterday. Then we heard that at the freshie class meeting she nominated Miss Norris, their leader, for president. Now we shall see what we shall see,” Leila said significantly.
“Was Miss Norris elected president?” Marjorie inquired interestedly.
“Yes; her crowd had been busily electioneering for her. She won over Miss Foster of Acasia House by only two votes. Her roommate, Miss Taylor, gave a dinner for her last night at Baretti’s.”
“Was Miss Ogden invited?” Marjorie’s interest had deepened.