“She won’t let me comfort her, and it is dreadful to see that dull look of agony and suffering in her eyes,” thought Leslie.
Immediately after luncheon that day, just as the girls were preparing to leave the dining-hall, Miss Penrose, the principal of South Hall, who always sat at a little table with a few favored pupils, stood up and sounded a silver gong. The girls immediately stopped, turned, and faced her.
“I wish to mention,” she said, “that Miss Lauderdale expects you all to come to East Hall at half-past eight this evening; the entire college is to meet there on a special and important matter. Miss Lauderdale is sorry that the notice is so brief. She begs, however, that the students, without exception, will attend to it. Those, therefore, who contemplated going out must send word to their friends that they will have to postpone their visits.”
Miss Penrose then immediately left the hall, and the girls went into the central hall and stood about discussing the sudden summons.
Leslie was eagerly pounced upon by the Chetwynds, who asked her what she thought Miss Lauderdale could
want with them all. Just then Annie Colchester darted past the little group, and ran quickly upstairs.
“Annie!” called out Leslie to her, “you will be sure to be ready to go with me to East Hall this evening?”
Annie made no reply.
“She heard what Miss Penrose said,” remarked Eileen. “I noticed that she was standing by the door when the principal sounded the gong.”
“All the same, she does not always hear what is said,” replied Leslie. “She lives in a wonderful and strange world of her own. I often doubt if she notices what goes on around her.”