“So am I,” glibly asserted Leslie, “but I’d rather live in America than in England. I’ve been across the pond a dozen times.”
“I prefer either England or France to the United States,” Doris said somewhat stiffly. “Paris is my favorite of all cities.”
“It’s not bad.” Leslie turned faintly patronizing. “Give me New York above them all. Don’t you like New York? What.”
“I don’t know it,” Doris was forced to admit. She colored faintly. Leslie’s impassive features and nonchalant air of self-possession were very disturbing to her. In the face of them she found it hard to keep up an indifferent pose. She experienced a contrary desire to talk to Leslie and find out who she was. Since her advent on the campus she had seen no one else she had come nearer to approving. Still she had no intention of allowing this beautifully dressed, ugly stranger to patronize her.
“You aren’t really a bit English,” she now said sweetly to Leslie. “I mean in the way you talk. You use a few common English words and phrases in the English way; but they sound American.”
Leslie’s brows began to draw together as Doris launched this “nervy” criticism. All of a sudden her face cleared. She treated Doris to one of her odd silent laughs. Here was a girl after her own heart. “Blondie” evidently had no more compunction than she about hurting another person’s feelings. She was keen-witted enough to see that she must travel a wary road to friendship with her “find.” Doris was sufficient unto herself.
“Have you ordered luncheon?” she asked irrelevantly, ignoring Doris’ unflattering opinion. “The chicken a la king is particularly good here.” Leslie picked up a menu card and busied herself with it.
“Thank you. I believe I will order it.” Doris waited for Leslie to say something else.
Leslie had nothing to say. She beckoned to a waitress and proceeded to carry on a wise consultation with her concerning the items on the menu. Doris began to feel ill at ease. Her brief exchange of talk with Leslie had filled her with a sudden desire to continue the conversation.
The waitress, having written down Leslie’s order, turned inquiringly to Doris.