“Gentleman Gus was elected, but there was some sort of fuss,” Muriel replied to the question. “We hung about the steps where we were when you left us. A crowd of sophs came out. Miss Monroe was with them. She was looking quite pleased with herself. She didn’t see me. I mean she pretended she didn’t. The other sophs, there were nine or ten of them, were peeved as could be. They were grumbling and muttering like a mob in a house play.”
“Those sophs had undoubtedly backed Miss Monroe. We knew then she’d lost without having to be told, Muriel was anxious to find out the details so we went into Hamilton Hall to lie in wait for and pounce down upon someone who knew what we didn’t,” supplemented Ronny.
“By then we’d lost all respect for ourselves as P. G.’s,” chuckled Muriel. “We were getting curiouser and curiouser. We did a wary toddle down the corridor toward the room the sophs were in. The door opened and out came Jane Everest. I can’t recall when I’ve so much enjoyed meeting anyone,” she declared waggishly. “Only Jane didn’t know what the fuss was about. It was a hot one, she said between Gussie and some of the sophs we’d seen coming out of the Hall. Only the chairman and the election committee appeared to know what it was over.”
“I’m afraid I know what it was over,” Marjorie spoke with a kind of sad soberness. “You remember what I told you, Jeremiah?”
“Yes. I’m afraid you knew too much, Bean; too much.” Jerry wagged her head with the air of a wiseacre.
Marjorie had to laugh in spite of her perturbation. Ronny and Muriel were eyeing her expectantly, listening for what she might say next.
“It is because of last year—” Marjorie broke off abruptly as a quick, imperative knock sounded at the door.
Ronny went to the door and opened it. “Oh, Gussie!” she exclaimed. “Come in.”
“No, thank you. I—I—want to see—just Marjorie—no one else.” Gussie’s voice had a husky sound. Her eyelids were suspiciously pink.
“Why, Gussie!” Marjorie who had heard; was at the door with outstretched hands. “What is it, dear?” she asked in a lower tone.