Leila looked thoughtful then beamed again: “Perhaps three minutes,” she admitted. “I have not yet met a Traveler except you, Beauty. You are the same beauty-bright colleen as ever. You would be that though dressed in canvas bags.”
“You are direct from County Blarney,” Marjorie made a gesture of unbelief. “Jerry and I picked out Muriel first thing. She is so funny. I knew Ronny and Lucy, too, and Lillian. I’m sorry Kathie couldn’t be in this. That’s the penalty she pays for being of the faculty. Let’s go Traveler hunting, Leila.” She took Leila’s arm and the two strolled on together further to investigate the many groups of mirthful, chattering rustics who crowded the spacious room.
It was not long before Leila and Marjorie were the center of a group of their own composed of Muriel, Vera, Lillian, Lucy, Barbara Severn, Ronny and Jerry. Leila circulated among them, beaming affably. She announced mysteriously that she had something nice to give each one.
“It’s a gift basket which I stole from a leprechaun and in it is a magic charm for each and all. Be pleased to hold one hand behind your back when I give out the charms. Shut your fingers tight down on the charm so it can not vanish away. When I give the word you may look at them. Now be fair and do not peep at them until I give you the word.”
With this glib injunction Leila slid a hand into the basket and drew it out tightly closed about some small object. She ordered the company to stand in a circle, each with a hand behind her back.
“What is it?” cried Muriel as her hand received and tightly clutched the small smooth round object.
“Now you shall see how fond I am of you.” Leila had hurriedly given out the rest of the charms. “You may all look.”
A chorus of derisive groans mingled with laughter followed the gracious permission. Each Traveler had been presented with a small potato. Its new pale skin had been scrubbed to immaculate cleanness.
“A charming charm, I must say,” giggled Muriel. “Let’s forcibly lead the Celtic sorceress out on the campus and peg at her with these praties. If she isn’t hit by any of them we shall know that they are either bewitched or else we can’t throw straight.”
In the midst of the fun her friends were having over Leila’s charms, remembrance of Leslie Cairns and her constrained flight from the scene of fun returned to Marjorie. She had sufficient cause to regard Leslie as an enemy, yet she did not hold her as such. Now she was feeling nothing but a kind regret that Leslie had barred herself out of Hamilton and all its pleasures. She decided that she would not tell even Jerry of the incident. Common sense whispered to her that Doris Monroe must have aided Leslie in the escapade. They had probably met on the campus and gone to the gymnasium together. Marjorie knit her brows in an effort to recall a dancing partner of Leslie’s. She herself had noticed and repeatedly laughed at the foolish-faced farmer before the collision with Leslie.