“Yes, but I saw nothing happen, either remarkable or dreadful. You told me this morning you had something to say to me about Miss Cairns. Whatever happened last night has nothing to do with her,” Doris said coldly.
“I don’t understand you at all, Doris,” Julia cried resentfully. “Didn’t you know that Miss Cairns tripped Miss Dean and me last night while we were dancing, and that we both fell?”
Doris shook her head in blank amazement. “I did not know,” she said very positively. “When did that happen? I went outdoors for a few minutes about two numbers before unmasking time. Was it then, I wonder?”
“Maybe it was. You admit then that Miss Cairns was in the gym,” was the triumphant return.
“I admit nothing.” Doris managed to keep up her cold composure. Anger gleamed in her green eyes.
“She was there, even if you won’t admit it. She behaved like a boor to me. She crashed into us like a locomotive and poked a miserable umbrella she carried squarely between our feet. How could we help but fall? I simply said I thought it wasn’t best for her to carry such a large umbrella on the dancing floor. You should have heard the insulting things she said to me, and to Miss Dean. She was in a terrible rage. I had all I could do to keep my temper.” Julia endeavored to look very superior.
Doris did not make the mistake of uttering a word. She purposed to hear Julia out before speaking. The sophomore was more than satisfied to be allowed to do all the talking.
“I knew it was Miss Cairns by her voice. I was so shocked. After she had abused us both she swaggered off down the room. Then my partner told me that she was Miss Dean. I was so surprised. She said we had best not tell anyone just then that Miss Cairns was on the floor—the best way to do was not to mention names, but to order her out of the gym quietly. She did that very thing herself. Just before the unmasking I saw Miss Dean walking Miss Cairns up the gym and to the vestibule door. In two or three minutes Miss Dean came back alone.” Julia gave out this information with malicious relish. “But that’s not all Miss Dean did. She played a trick on the whole college which I think very ignoble.” She paused to note the effect on Doris of this remarkable news.
“Go on,” Doris commanded with bored amusement. “Your tale of the Rustic Mask is growing interesting.”
“You may find it more so.” A dull angry red overspread Julia’s pasty-white complexion. “I haven’t come to your part in it yet.”